The Longest Time
by Kegel
Summary: When the king returned, everything would be right again. But the day King Richard came into the town of Nottingham, Robin and the outlaws had to notice that things didn't turn out as they had always thought in the back of their minds. Robin/Marian
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** The Longest Time

**Summary:** When the king returned, everything would be right again. But the day King Richard came into the town of Nottingham, Robin and the outlaws had to notice that things didn't turn out as they had always thought in the back of their minds.

**Characters/Pairings:** The Outlaws & Marian, Pairings: Robin/Marian, Will/Djaq

**Rating:** T

**Spoilers/Warnings:** Season 2 till Lardner's Ring (AU after that)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the show or the characters and make no money off them.

**Notes: **This fic is the reason why there hasn't been an update of _Better Days Will Come _in a long time (but I will get back to it).

This has been written for the RH bigbang at livejournal. The fic has an historical background, though I have taken great liberties with it, mostly just mentioning a few historical points that influence the story.

Thanks so much to my betas _neaptidea_ and _Emmithar_!

* * *

**Chapter 1**

When the king returned, everything would be right again. This was what they had always thought. Even the traitor, Allan, had argued so, had contended that it was Robin who would have title, lands, a wife, once Richard returned from the Holy Lands.

Injustice would end, at least in Robin's hopes, as well as certainly in Much's, he guessed. He wasn't sure how much hope the others, Will, John, Djaq had set on the return of the king, but it had also been clear that Marian as well saw the monarch's return as the number one priority on the way to better times.

But the day King Richard came into the town of Nottingham, Robin had to notice that things didn't turn out as they had always thought in the back of their minds, waking through long nights in the forest, fighting the sheriff in a battle they could never win, but only try to survive.

It had still been cold during the nights, but the sunny days of March made promises about the upcoming spring. Robin sat down at the outlaws' camp, his bow in his hand, planning to replace the string with a new one. The forest around him had not yet started to blossom, only the conifers showing the green they had kept from the last year.

The last months had been troublesome, the gang most upset about Allan's betrayal, Robin himself most occupied with the sheriff's plan he had learned of to kill the king once he returned to England, as well as Marian first coming to live at the camp, then leaving for the castle again.

Much and John were at the camp as well, each busy with their chores, while Djaq and Will had gone off to a village, though Robin did not know what they were doing. He guessed that Allan's departure had hit the two of them the most – and absorbed in his own pondering - he had not argued against them leaving.

Robin released the string of his bow, having the new one readied before. He carefully attached it to the bow, making sure it was exactly like it had to be. He had done this task so many times before, he knew how he had to work to make it feel right.

He stood up, retrieving an arrow from his quiver and placing it in the bow, aiming for a test shot at the burl at the trunk of a tree. Yet another task he had done so many, countless times, and there was no need to think about how to hold the bow or draw the new string. The arrow found its mark.

"Robin!" The call seemed to sound through the forest at the same moment as the arrow hit the tree.

Robin turned on the spot, seeing Will hasten through the underground, Djaq on his heels.

"What's wrong?"

"The king," Will started. "He's coming."

Robin couldn't believe it, thoughts of the man he had last seen in the Holy Lands mingling with the deadly plans he knew about. "Where?"

Will finally came to a stop. "His army, they're coming to Nottingham."

* * *

While Robin had no reason to doubt Will's observational skills, he still had to see it with his own eyes. He remembered the time when it had been an imposter that had come to Nottingham, working for the sheriff to lure out nobles that were not on the sheriff's side. Robin didn't think Vaizey would try the same again, but still, he could not be sure until he had seen the army Will had been talking about.

The whole gang was now lying in wait, watching as the king's men marched on the town of Nottingham.

They could see that people were pouring out of the town, fleeing of what they saw as a situation that could very well end in a violent confrontation. Robin wondered only how long it would take before the town's gates would be closed, for Vaizey would surely not hand over the town voluntarily. The king seemed to know this as well, for only this could explain the number of men that were arriving at the encampment that had been set up outside of the town by now.

"Where are the people going?" Will asked, coming up next to Robin.

"To the villages," he said, keeping his gaze focused on the stream of people making their out of and away from Nottingham.

Will shook his head. "The villages won't be able to care for all of them. They have barely enough for themselves."

"I know. But we don't know how long this is going to take."

Maybe the king's army would succeed quickly, and the town's people would be able to return to their homes in a short time. Robin knew that this had to be the last confrontation; once the king had made his way into the town, Vaizey would be history. After that, things could go back to normal, for all of them, including the outlaws in the forest. "Let's go and check on the villages, see what we can do." Robin moved to his feet and the other four followed him.

As they made their way to Clun, they overtook many small groups of town's people that were fleeing from Nottingham. As he scanned the faces of the refugees, Robin couldn't help but wait to see Marian among them as well. He doubted she would just run, but then he hoped she would. He didn't think the army came to destroy, but at the same time he worried about what might happen; if fighting was to ensue and innocents might be harmed as well. It always was like that in war, no matter what else was said.

It wasn't the only distracting thought he had, while they were nearing the settlement where villagers were already discussing what to do with the incoming people. Robin wanted to see the king, wanted to warn the man of the danger he was in. The fact that Richard brought a large army showed that he knew things were amiss, but Robin doubted the king was aware of the Black Knights, who were in league with the very person who was barricading himself in the town now. The king might still not know of the threat they were. Although Vaizey surely had not expected the king to arrive with his whole army, it was the return of Richard that he and his traitorous knights had prepared for. They wanted to kill the king, and now was the time that they would attempt to accomplish that.

"How much do we have left in our storages?" Robin asked, looking around between the collected groups of people.

"It's not going to be enough, by far," Will replied quietly. "And we don't even know yet how many people have gone to the other villages."

Robin nodded grimly. They could only hope that everything would go over soon, so people would be able to return to their homes; if those were left intact that was. He walked once more around the groups of people, checking for familiar faces. A few nodded towards him.

"Robin," someone called then, and he turned around to see a man walking up to him. "They closed the gates, right after we left."

Robin nodded, having expected as much. "Is all of your family outside?"

The man gave a nod. "Yes, but there were still people in Nottingham."

"The sheriff isn't going to let anyone else leave. He's going to barricade in the castle." While the Black Knights were going to try to kill the king, he thought grimly, not saying out loud what he thought. "How many were still there?"

The other man frowned. "I can't say for sure. We left in a haste. People were running around, some looking for their children. Guards were closing off gates."

Robin nodded, imagining the situation in the town.

* * *

In the morning, she was woken up by the shouts outside. She couldn't understand at first what it was about, but quickly moving out of bed over to the window of her room, Marian spied outside and could see people running over the castle yard. They were shouting to each other and it was then that she could make out what they were saying.

"The king is coming!"

Marian turned away from the window, stunned. The first question that came to her mind was whether it was really true, and if it wasn't just a ploy like it had been a time ago, when the sheriff had engaged an imposter to rid himself of nobles loyal to the king. But then, she doubted that he would try the same scheme a second time... it had to be true now. The king was coming to Nottingham. She felt excitement, as the day they had been waiting for was finally there, though it was mixed with some anxious feelings, too, for she could not be sure what would happen.

She got dressed quickly, and left her room to walk further up in the castle, looking for a place from where she would have a better view over the town. As she climbed up the stairs at one side of the castle, she could already spot people moving in and out of crowds of others and once she had a better view, she also realised that large groups of people were leaving the town through the gates. As her gaze went beyond the town and out to the fields around Nottingham, she could see why. The king wasn't only coming with a few followers, but with an army.

Marian could also see the reason for this, watching the castle guards preparing to barricade the building.

Maybe the king had received Robin's message. It had been known that Sheriff Vaizey was a supporter of Prince John and was plotting to remove the king from his throne, but she had not thought that he would actually dare to try and hold Nottingham against the king. Exactly that seemed to be happening now, and she felt a shiver go over her, as she thought of the consequences this confrontation might have. There would be fighting and she could only imagine how much death and destruction it would bring to Nottingham. She wondered what she should do. There was little she could even do.

She thought of the future... now that the king was back in England, was coming to Nottingham. Once he would succeed in this battle, Vaizey would be gone. A new sheriff would be installed, one loyal to the king. Things would be good again. At least Marian dared to hope this, for this was what they had all been waiting for. What else could they have hoped for?

She watched for a few more minutes as the king's army was marching closer towards the town, before her gaze went over to where the forest lay. She wondered if Robin and his men already knew what was happening. They would surely learn quickly of it. She could imagine Robin's feelings on the news, for she believed to be feeling the same, although she thought that he put yet more hopes in the king's return than even she did. It was natural of course; not only because he had served in the man's army in the Holy Lands, but also because the king's return was supposed to be Robin's return home, the end of his outlaw days.

And she had promised him that once the king was home and England was right again, they would marry. It was a strange thought, for often she had felt like this day would never come; it seemed to be a plan, but a plan that seemed to be so far away that it had never appeared like one that was going to be fulfilled, although none of them had thought that the king was never to return. Now the man was coming.

Despite the anxious feelings she had, it was with a smile that Marian hurried back to her room, still doubtful as to what she was to do. She did not think there was anything she could do openly; she was only one person, and if there was to be a battle it made only sense to stay out of it, and wait till the king had succeeded.

A knock on her door made her turn in startlement once again, and the intruder did not wait till she called him in. Guy came into the room in an apparent hurry, strain in his expression.

"Marian, you have to leave."

"What?"

"You have to leave, now," he repeated, coming closer to where she was standing.

"Why?" She could only imagine that it had something to do with the king's return, but why would she have to leave for that reason? It was not the first time Guy was coming to her like this, telling her to go... but it could not be...

"The sheriff," Guy exclaimed, stopping in front of her. "He's ridding himself of anyone that could be a threat, now that the king is coming."

"A threat?" Marian asked confused. "Why would I be a threat?" The sheriff did not know about her involvement with Robin, did not know she was the Nightwatchman... In his and Guy's eyes she was only a girl, for the sheriff a nuisance at the most...

"He cannot be certain of your loyalty, and you are too close to what he considers the king's supporters, the daughter of the old sheriff...," Gisborne went on, pacing. "You have to go. People are leaving the town. Go with them." He stopped, looking at her. "Please."

She nodded then. It hadn't been a long time since she had even returned to the castle, after Guy had - as far as he knew - saved her from the hands of Robin Hood. But now there was no reason for her to stay. She would go, would maybe find the outlaws, would wait for the king's army to march into Nottingham, before she would return, whatever the future would hold then.

"What about you?" she asked Guy, knowing that the man's future was linked to that of the sheriff. She was not certain what she wished him; she doubted there could be a future for him here, once the king was back, but then she also knew that she did not wish his demise, despite the evil he had done, not only to others, but also to her and her father.

She swallowed, still waiting for his answer, but it was not coming.

"Leave now," he said again, moving to the door himself. "I have got to go. Hurry, please." He looked at her again, before he hastened out of the door.

Having already made her decision, Marian moved quickly to throw a few personal things into a bag, rushing out of the room then as well, ensuring that she had not been seen doing so. She made quick progress along the castle's corridors, her mind racing as to what the best way would be to get out of the castle unseen and into the streets of Nottingham where she would be able to vanish among the masses of people.

As she ran further, she could hear the clang of armour coming towards her from an adjoining hallway and knowing that she would not be able to avoid the guards completely now, she forced herself to slow down. She would have to pretend that everything was normal, that she was just taking a stroll, and no guard would give her a second glance...

It was a group of men though, and as they spotted her, their pace seemed to become yet more determined.

"Stop," one of them called, and Marian hesitated only for a second before she decided to follow the order if only in hope to be let go then.

"What is it?" she asked, as calmly as she managed.

"Sheriff's order," the guard replied. "You are to come with us."

Now Marian didn't hesitated before she broke into a run down the corridor, but she only got until the end of it, before more guards arrived from the other side, effectively encircling her. The sheriff meant business, this was much clear.

One of the guards grabbed her by the arm, pulling her along towards the first group that she had encountered.

"What does the sheriff want?" she asked, trying to free herself, speaking only to distract them, knowing she would not be able to gain anything else from them. She was still clutching her bag, wondering what would happen if anyone were to find the Nightwatchman's cloak in there. But then, she probably couldn't be in any worse trouble than she already was.

"You'll see soon enough," was the only reply she got. She was taken downstairs and at first she thought they would lock her up in the dungeons, an outlook she was prepared to accept, knowing she would be freed as soon as the king was in Nottingham, but as she realised that they were not moving towards the dungeons, but into yet more intractable parts of the castle, she understood clearly what Guy had meant: that the sheriff wanted to get rid of her.

Fear was rising in her now, for she knew she would not be able to fight all these men; she had not even a weapon on her, safe for the dagger that still held her hair, which would help little when confronted with a sword. It were now panicked looks that she threw around in search of escape, as she was shoved into the darkness, just before she could see the shine of the torches reflected on the blade that was drawn, ensuring that she would be no threat to the sheriff anymore.

It was a narrow escape and she knew it, as she let herself drop, catching the guards unaware, turning then to jump up and run, She didn't look back as she hastened around dark corners of the castle. She could hear the clang of armour behind her, as she sought a way outside. As she came into a corridor at the far outside of this part of the castle, a glance downwards told her that all the exits had been blocked. It wasn't only for her sake, she knew, but still, it would keep her from escaping, leaving her caught. She could either hide or face the sheriff's men intending to kill her.

Then a door to the right caught her attention and she pulled it open, slipped inside and drew it shut quickly. It was a latrine and she knew Robin's men had used it before as a way of escape. She didn't like the idea of it, but then facing the swords of those that were pursuing her could not be her choice either. She let herself slip downwards, her mind blank to the occasion. It was a nasty business and Marian was glad when she finally stumbled along the streets of Nottingham, no one even paying any attention to her, as people were trying to either secure their homes, or leave the town.

Marian wanted to do just that. It was easy to integrate into the flow of people, only a few people staring at her probably because of the way she looked and smelled. There was a hold-up at the gate that was supposed to be their way out of the town, as guards tried to argue that no one was to leave anymore, but then they gave up as too many people arrived who wanted to do so.

Once outside, Marian discarded the fouled cloak she had wrapped around herself, still following the groups of people who were now making their way to the villages. In the distance one could see smoke of the fires of the king's army, the troops having come to a stand now, as it seemed.

As she looked back at the people that came out of the town behind her, Marian started to wonder where all of them would go, and how long it would be before they were able to return to Nottingham.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2  
**

The village of Clun was unrecognizable by now. It almost seemed as if the whole population of Nottingham had collected in the small settlement, although Robin had learned from people who had fled the town that many people had been about to make their way to other villages.

The gang was now busy to empty their storages, bringing supplies to the village. They didn't have another choice if they didn't want to see the people go hungry. Soon it might become a problem, when nothing would be left for either them or the people anymore, but Robin hoped that it wouldn't take the king's army long to get into Nottingham, and that he and the gang wouldn't have to worry about feeding themselves in the forest anymore then.

One person Robin hadn't seen yet that he wondered about was Marian. He didn't know what she would do, whether she would stay at the castle or leave. It hadn't been long that she had returned there, ending the short time she had lived with them in the forest. He was worried because he feared that she wouldn't be safe at the castle now, neither from the incoming army that might not be considerate to anyone living in the castle when they needed to get in, nor from the sheriff who was barricading himself inside.

He kept wondering if he should not try and get into the town to her. He was needed here, too, he knew, also feeling an urgency to go to Locksley and see how things were going there. He didn't know if Gisborne was there, or if he was at the castle as well, or had maybe even fled.

And then there was the king. Robin had been playing with the thought of riding out to the king's army for a while now. He had to warn the man, being certain the Black Knights were still lingering about, were maybe even in the army's ranks.

The last they had heard about the approaching troops was that they had build a camp outside of the town now, ready to lay siege to the town till it surrendered. Robin climbed up a small hill just outside of Clun, using it as a place where he could get a good overview over the groups of people still coming to the village.

He could see John, Will and Djaq handing out the food they had brought from their storages. Only Much he wasn't able to spot. He looked around, finally seeing him coming up the hill as well, having followed him there. In Much's manner one could see the same agitation that Robin felt in his mind, the many questions that were going through everyone's head.

Much nodded to Robin as he came up to him, the sun slowly setting at the horizon in his back.

"That's almost everything. Almost our food. Well, safe for that that's at the camp. I hope we get new food soon. I mean, the king's coming, that's good, isn't it?"

Robin nodded with a tight smile. It was what they had been waiting for. They just had to keep everyone safe till the king had taken Nottingham, and things would be alright. His smile grew wider as he saw another group of people joining others in the village. He hadn't spotted her at first, but now he could see that it was Marian who was walking a little aside from the others, looking around.

She seemed to have noticed John then, for she changed her pace, heading towards the big man now. She caught his attention and they talked briefly till John pointed up towards Robin. Marian turned and he saw her recognizing him.

Robin waved briefly, and after taking another sweeping look around the village, he descended the hill half-running, Much on his heels. It wasn't only Marian and John who were waiting for them at the bottom; Djaq and Will had joined them as well, apparently having finished handing out the last of their supplies for today.

"Hey," he called, coming up to Marian with quick steps and hugging her briefly. She showed a quick smile, but grew serious then.

"There's no more in or out of the castle. The sheriff had it barricaded."

Robin nodded. "We know."

"I say we wait till everything's sorted out," Much said. "The king knows what he's doing..." he nodded, glancing at Djaq and stopped for a moment. "Well, not always maybe."

"There is not enough food to last the people more than a few days," Djaq said, looking at Robin.

"I don't think it's going to take long, and I hope people will be able to return to the town then." He knew they couldn't be sure about that, nor about how many of the town's storages would still be available. He looked around the village, before his gaze settled on his men again. "I want to ride out to the king's camp, warn him about the Black Knights."

Much shook his head. "The king can surely take care of himself. And he has all his guards. They're fighting and barricading and shooting over there. No good getting into the middle of that."

Robin looked at him, frowning. "The king knows me. He's going to let me talk to him."

"That is only if you get so far to see him," Much pointed out.

"They wouldn't shoot me if I were to ride out there," Robin assured him. "They would let me through to the king." He knew Much might just have told him that because he was worried about him; but there was some truth in what he said.

"You wanted to go to Locksley," Much tried another point, and Robin sighed, knowing his friend was right. He wanted to go there. He nodded. "I'm going to go to Locksley first, see what Gisborne is up to, and visit the king's camp later."

"Gisborne isn't at Locksley. He's at the castle," Marian said, adding more quietly, "At least he was there when I left."

Robin nodded silently, laying an arm around her waist, leading her a few steps away from the others. "Come with me to Locksley, then. I want to see how many people have arrived there."

He had once again the feeling of not wanting to leave her alone. For the longest time he had been worried about her well-being, staying at the castle with the sheriff and Gisborne around, the former having no reason to leave her alive if he ever found out that she was working with Robin.

He also didn't see any use in her staying in town. Things hadn't gone smoothly when she had come to live with him in the forest, finally fulfilling his wish to have her close, but both of them needed some time to adjust to the change. Then she had gone back to Nottingham, and now he was just glad that she had made it out of the town alright, now that war seemed to be coming to the shire, until the king would finally take the town.

"I'll come," she nodded. "Do you have a horse or are we going to walk?"

"Marian," Djaq called suddenly from behind.

Marian turned around, curiously looking at the other woman.

Djaq hesitated for a moment, glancing at Robin ever so briefly. "Do you know... if Allan is at the castle?"

Robin tensed as Djaq spoke of the traitor, but decided not to interfere but wait for Marian's response.

"I didn't see him today," she shook her head. "He was there yesterday, but I do not know where he is now, I'm sorry."

Djaq nodded silently. Robin wasn't all too sorry. He couldn't quite shove aside the small question in his head as to where the man was, although he did not much care for the welfare of the man. But he had more important matters on his mind, too.

"Let's go."

* * *

Allan wondered how he had gotten stuck in a situation like this. Being stuck in a barricaded castle that was being defended by men that were traitors to the king while the same king was marching towards the town, bringing his army along.

It wasn't like he had had any other place to go at the time, but now it was a stupid place to be in. And it wasn't like he owed anything to the sheriff. The man might just as well have him hanged.

Looking at the army that was now building up a camp outside the town walls of Nottingham, he feared he might be on the best way to the gallows nevertheless. The king surely wouldn't look at traitors with a friendly eye, and Allan feared he wouldn't get much of a chance to talk himself out of this one, if he were caught. But then, he would just have to tell them the truth: that he didn't do anything, didn't know anything, was just a common man, trying to work for a living...

He watched as guards added heavy stones to the barricades that already blocked every way out of the town. Not many people were left inside now, very few of them people who were not working for the sheriff.

"Allan," he heard the voice from behind him and turned to the only person he might own some thanks to.

Guy looked tense. "The sheriff wants you to oversee the barricades at the West Gate."

Allan would have liked to refuse and he even opened his mouth to do so. But then he remembered that he had no way to get out anyway, and this wasn't the time to alienate Guy, especially considering the value the man set on loyalty. He nodded with half of a shrug. "I'm going."

Making his way to the West Gate, he strained his brain, trying to remember all the ways the outlaws had found into and out of the town. There still had to be a way to get out. Allan just feared that he had told all of the secret ways to the sheriff, who had all of them blocked.

As he arrived at the gate he saw quickly that the barricades wouldn't hold long, and he didn't consider himself a military expert. But then, who would even want to hold the town for long against the king's army? This couldn't end well. They had pretty much always build on the fact that the king simply wouldn't come home, and certainly not for a visit to Nottingham...

Allan made his way up to the gatehouse to see for himself how the situation on the outside was. As expected, the army lay in waiting, apparently preparing themselves to storm the town if needed. While the sun was going down in the west, a slight feeling of panic rose in Allan as to how he had managed to get stuck in a situation such as this. He watched riders coming and going from the army's camp, more and more hidden in the dusk as the light faded. He wondered if the others had noticed what was going on, the others being the outlaws that lived in Sherwood...

They would be free, wouldn't they? The king was coming to Nottingham. Robin would get what he wanted, and the others would probably be free, too. Allan shook his head at his own pondering. It wasn't a given. It was what he had told Robin. It wasn't likely any of them would have anything; not even their freedom was assured.

He watched as several riders were approaching the town, carrying banners that told of who their master was. Next to Allan, several castle guards moved to watch more closely what was going on. Allan knew they were nervous and tense, just as he was, unaware of what was going to happen.

The riders stopped then. They were heavily armoured, carrying additional shields with them. One man started to call something, but Allan had at first difficulty to understand what was being said. The man's voice rose then, and it was clear what he meant. King Richard was demanding the surrender of the town.

Allan saw that the guards that were with him in the gatehouse were becoming more agitated now.

"You think it's really the king?" one asked him, and Allan shrugged, though he was pretty sure it was actually the real king this time.

"He's going to have us hanged," another guard shook his head. "You can't keep the king's castles against the king."

"If we're not doing it, the sheriff will have us hanged."

Allan feared that the man was right. It was not without reason that he had pondered about potential ways to flee the situation, but up to this point he still had not come up with a way out of the castle that would not be blocked, and it would be of no use being caught trying one of the others. His only hope was that the castle would be surrendered peacefully – which was doubtful when he thought of Vaizey – or that he would be able to escape in the chaos that would surely follow if the king were to take the town by force.

As the last sunlight vanished behind the horizon, the riders had gone as well, unsuccessful, as the town's gates remained shut and barricaded.

* * *

With no horse available, it took them a while to make their way to Locksley, but Robin didn't mind the march through the forest with Marian. It reminded him of the short time she had spent with him there, before she had returned to the castle.

Now that the king was coming, he might not have to stay in Sherwood for very much longer either. As they were walking into the village of Locksley, the thought reminded him of another. The plan he and Marian had agreed upon.

"Does that yes still count?" he asked lightly, as she caught up with his step.

"What?"

He hoped it was just confusion he could hear in her voice.

"The plan we have. Defeat the sheriff, bring the king come, ..."

Marian grimaced. "The sheriff isn't defeated yet."

"Yes, but that's only a matter of time." Robin was reminded of the nervousness he had felt when he had first asked her in the forest. There had been the worry that she would say no, and maybe it was still there, for why would she agree a second time to marry him, after he had left her to go to war years ago?

She took his hand in hers. "Of course I will marry you. What would make you think I would change my mind?"

"You'd have reason to." He glanced at her. "I left you."

"It's in the past, Robin," she said seriously. "You're here now."

He nodded, looking around in the village. People from Nottingham seemed to have come here, too, for there were small camps being built around the houses and cottages of the settlement. It wasn't quite as full as it was in Clun, the longer distance from the town probably accounting for it.

"Now that the king is back, you will be able to come back here," Marian said with a smile. Robin nodded quietly, taking in the view of the village with the people mingling in.

"Yes," he said simply. It wasn't the time yet, with Gisborne's and the sheriff's men still around, as he guessed. They hadn't met any on the way, but he knew they still needed to be careful here.

"You care about these people," she went on, as he continued watching the ongoings in the village.

He turned his head to her. "Of course." He grimaced, smiling then. Caring about these people was what had led him into outlawry.

"I wish I could go back to Knighton like that," Marian said, causing his smile to turn into concern. "There's nothing left. My father is gone. My home is gone..."

Robin sighed, laying an arm around her shoulder, as he realised that she had lost more than he had. He had gone into the forest and that was what had protected him and the ones he cared for. He could have told her that Locksley would become her home, but seeing her face, he could not bring himself to say it, in fear of making seemingly light of her loses.

"Are we going to meet your men again?" she asked then, changing the topic.

Robin nodded. "We're going to meet back at camp when they're back from Nottingham. We can't stay out all night, if we don't know how long it all will take." He would have wanted to keep watching the unfolding of events, but for now, there was nothing much else they could do, as the day was drawing to a close. Maybe he would manage to ride out to the king's camp tomorrow...

"So this means I'm going back to your camp, too?" she asked, but it wasn't really a question.

"I hope you don't miss the castle all too much," Robin said quickly, trying to think light of the situation. "You went there to spy on the sheriff, didn't you?"

She laughed, a little nervous. "Yes."

Of course Robin guessed that she would go back there just as soon the king had taken the castle. Richard would install a new sheriff, the Council of Nobles would resume in its true form and not the grotesque play it had become with Vaizey. And Marian would likely choose to be there as well, being the only heir of Knighton.

Robin shook his head at himself. His thoughts were rushing ahead of him. So far the king lay in wait in front of Nottingham. They couldn't know yet how things might turn out.

* * *

At the edge of the forest, Will had settled down, waiting and watching what he could see of the town of Nottingham. Dusk had fallen over the castle and its surrounding walls, the army in front of its gates having settled down as well.

Next to Will Djaq was sitting, and he wondered what she was thinking when she saw the king's men. It were men like them that had been crusaders in her native land. Many of the men who were now waiting outside of Nottingham had probably been in the Holy Land themselves, just as Robin had been.

"You doing alright?" he asked.

She took her gaze from the king's camp, looking at him. "Yes."

"We can go back to camp."

"We need to see what happens," Djaq countered.

"John and Much can do that. They're closer to the town even."

Djaq didn't get to answer as another voice spoke up.

"Not anymore."

Will started, seeing John and Much coming towards them, the former having announced their presence to them.

"What is wrong?"

Much looked at him. "The king. He went to the main gate and called up to the guards. To open up the town, probably. They didn't do it, of course." He shook his head.

"You should not go there so closely," Djaq told him, concern in her voice.

Much smiled a little. "But I saw the king. And this time we know it's really him."

Will frowned. "We knew that before, didn't we? Robin was sure it's him, wasn't he?"

The other nodded once. "Robin thought so. But with the sheriff- I don't trust him." Much glanced with a frown into the direction of Nottingham.

"So what do we do now?"

"I say we go back to camp. They will not do anything at night," John said, following Much's glance back at the town for a second. "Tomorrow, we can see that the villagers and the people who fled the town have all they need."

"We don't have much more to give," Will pointed out gloomily. He then looked at Much. "You know the king, don't you?"

Much considered the question for a moment. "Well, I do know him, yes, Robin and I were in his private guard. He is... he will... he will do the right thing. I think. He listens to Robin. I mean, he often did. I mean, this doesn't mean he really did what Robin thought he should do, but he let him talk, you know? Give his opinion. So he will surely do so now. And Robin will tell him what the sheriff did, and about the poor..."

Will nodded. He looked at the town in the distance again. From this perspective it appeared quiet and peaceful. For now, all of them needed a calm night to have their rest for whatever might come the next day.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Through the night, nothing happened. Allan had finally found himself a quiet corner, as quiet as it could be in the gatehouse with guards walking around nervously, whispering to each other about the upcoming doom. But Allan had managed to slumber a little. He was only really awoken by the rays of the early morning light, soon followed by noise coming from the gate below.

Allan scrambled to his feet, checking that his sword was still attached to his side. He wouldn't want to be without a weapon in the chaos that he knew would come. Glancing down onto the field outside of the gate, he could see the king's banner again. The man seemed to be an early riser, or maybe he hadn't slept at all. Two riders came forward again then, and Allan listened as the threats of the previous night were repeated. The king demanded the gate to be opened and he threatened consequences to all those who would stand against him.

Allan knew that the other guards in the gatehouse were nervous, and rightly so. It probably wouldn't end well for any of them if the king's army actually got in, and as far as Allan could judge, this was only a matter of time. It was then that he decided that the gatehouse wasn't the place where he wanted to be. Glancing around at the castle guards who were focused on the king's banner outside as a mouse would stare at the snake, he sneaked out, and made his way downstairs, back into the town. There were no villagers to be seen in Nottingham anymore now. Those who had not managed to flee had probably returned to their houses and had barricaded themselves there. Allan figured this was what reasonable people would do - instead of working for a man who worked for the sheriff who worked against the King of England who was now standing in front of the gates of the town.

Allan grabbed the hilt of his sword, running over the marketplace. He didn't know where Gisborne was, but he figured that it would be every man for his own anyway, once chaos would break loose. He hadn't seen the sheriff at all since the day before and wondered if the man had already saved himself and had left the ones loyal to him behind to face the consequences.

Marian was someone Allan hadn't seen either, and he wondered briefly where she was. Maybe she had had the sense to leave and go back to the forest in time. Allan hadn't quite understood why she had come back to the castle at all. He had naturally not bought the whole Robin taking her hostage situation for a second, but he hardly could have told Guy as much without endangering her. Allan didn't know what she had planned, for he knew by now all too well that he would go back to the gang, if he could. It was all too late for these thoughts now, for if he didn't manage to sneak his way out of the town, he would meet the king's ire together with the other sheriff's men.

Allan had barely made it over the market, when he heard thunder. Looking up into the clear blue sky, he knew it wasn't a sign of an upcoming storm. The sound came again and again, and finally Allan was able to locate it to come from the direction of the gate. The king was trying to get inside, or had at least men who were doing that work for him.

Allan wondered if he would be able to talk his way out of it. Maybe he could tell them that he was working for Robin Hood, for the man who had been in the king's private guard. Robin wasn't here to tell them any different, was he?

The sounds from the gate changed then, and Allan knew that it had broken, and it was only a matter of moments now, before the king's men would be in the town. With a last glance at the gatehouse, Allan skirted around the next corner, his mind racing as to where he could go. The building ahead caught his sight, no matter that it was bolted up. It was a cherished refuge. The front door might have been closed and blocked, but Allan hadn't been an outlaw in a gang robbing the sheriff for nothing. By way of the window at one side of the tavern, he entered quickly. Of course, they would come in here, too, but at least it was better to be away from the open street for now, as long as battle would rage. And he figured, he wouldn't even go thirsty until then.

He stopped for a few moments, trying to discern if the inn keeper had really left this place behind. The house had the appearance of it, but Allan couldn't be sure, until he had seen and heard that he was indeed alone. The tavern lay dark and silent, making an eerie expression on him. Outside Allan could hear the sounds of fighting and knew it had been the right decision to leave the open street. He had no place in that kind of war, or in any war whatsoever. There was nothing he could win there, but only lose.

Of course, he would have preferred to be able to leave the town altogether. It would have been safer by far. But for now, he guessed he could deal with being stuck here. Walking around the tavern's backroom, Allan determined that it was still well-stocked with ale. He figured that the king's men would appreciate the stock. Maybe he would even be able to win favour that way. Or at least avoid unfavourable situations.

* * *

It had been chilling to see the flames and the dark smoke rising up into the sky over Nottingham. It had reminded Robin of the threat that the town would burn if anything were to happen to the sheriff. But this threat was void now; the king was here and would take care of Vaizey.

Robin had figured that it would only be a matter of time until Nottingham was safe, once the wooden gatehouse had gone up in flames after the king's army had attacked it, as Robin had watched from the edge of the forest.

Robin wondered what had been happening inside the town, as he had had no way of finding out while the fighting had been going on. It had been clear that they wouldn't be able to get inside at this point. His one source of information inside of Nottingham had thankfully not been there anymore, as he confirmed to himself reaching out for her hand, when she came up to his side.

"I will go and see the king," he said quietly. "Much is coming with me."

Marian looked at him. "I will go to Knighton first. Perhaps Nottingham will be safe tonight. I'll find you there, if it is. The Council of Nobles will surely be restored."

Robin nodded once, remembering that people from Nottingham had gone to the village of Knighton, too. The gang had helped set up a camp for those people there. Will especially had done good work that was appreciated, and Robin liked to think that the young man could already settle into his new life, a life when he wouldn't be an outlaw anymore. Once Vaizey would be gone, they would all be able to have that life.

"You go to Knighton, I go to Nottingham," he confirmed, squeezing her hand. "And we'll see each other tonight."

They departed and Robin caught up with Much who had been waiting for him a little ahead, so they could make their way to Nottingham. Robin kept a steady pace, anxious to finally meet the king again, to talk to him, warn him of the plot against him. Vaizey was probably history, but Prince John might still be hoping for his chance to make himself king.

It was still a strange view they got on the town when they came over the fields that lay before it. A considerable part of the king's army was still camping outside of Nottingham. The gates were open, though watched by soldiers. Robin wasn't sure if they were men who would recognize him. Not everyone knew him by sight, just as he didn't know everyone of the king's men, no matter that he had been one of them for five years.

"What do you think the king will say?" Much asked. "And what about the sheriff? The king will surely have him removed, won't he? If he isn't gone already. I never liked him."

Robin smiled grimly. "I don't think Vaizey is still the sheriff. The king will appoint a new one."

"Too bad Edward is dead," Much replied sadly. "He was a fair man. He could have been sheriff again."

Robin nodded quietly, his thoughts turning to Marian.

"I wonder who will be the next sheriff then," his friend went on. "I hope someone who doesn't like hangings quite that much as the old sheriff," Much shook his head, grimacing. "We never would have gotten into all that trouble if he hadn't wanted to hang Will, and Allan and-"

Robin smiled as Much continued talking, doubting that he would have been able to stay out of trouble for very long, even if Vaizey hadn't planned those hangings back then. Sooner or later they would have clashed over another grave issue. It was a good thing, a very good thing for Nottingham that Vaizey would be gone now.

The soldiers at the West Gate looked at them in with mild interest as they came up to them. Robin nodded once, not recognizing the men.

"You cannot go into the town today," one of them said, before Robin had even said anything.

"My name is Robin of Locksley. My friend Much here and I used to serve in the king's private guard in the Holy Land, and would like to talk to him on an important matter."

"We cannot let you in."

"Why not?" Much frowned. "He told you. We were in the King's Private-"

"We have orders to let no one into the town."

"I need to talk to the king," Robin insisted.

One of the guards looked at the other, and the man nodded, moving through the gate to talk to another who was keeping watch there. The men talked quietly, and finally the guard returned to where Robin and Much were waiting.

"Follow me," he said, and Robin nodded, walking behind the men through the gate and into the town. He was slightly confused as more guards joined them, but it was Much who whispered to him.

"I don't like this."

Robin shook his head briefly. "It's alright. They're taking us to the king."

Much nodded. Robin could understand him. If his friend hadn't told him that he himself had seen the king riding up to the gates of Nottingham, he would have considered this to possibly be a trap laid by Vaizey. The years in the forest had made them careful. Robin smiled, guessing that he was probably less than careful, but he had a good feeling about this.

The good feeling was pushed away by a shiver that ran over him as they came to the marketplace. Bodies were lying around in the corners, sheriff's guards as far as Robin could see. And not only there. A row of gallows had been erected, and the dead bodies of yet more men were still hanging on the ropes. Robin didn't know what had happened here, but he didn't like it. What cause had there been to hang all these men? Had they all have to die because they had been working for the traitor Vaizey? Most of them had been just villagers working at the castle for a living...

Robin glanced at Much and saw that the man was pale. Much didn't like this any more than he did. They made their way into the castle, Robin letting his gaze glide over rubble and yet darker signs of recent fighting.

Robin could already hear the king's voice when they entered the great hall. The man was unmistakable. He sounded angry and Robin could understand him, for he was certainly not pleased by the fact that he had to fight his way into what was supposed to be his own castle. Robin wasn't sure how much he knew about Vaizey and the Black Knights, but once he heard about it, he wouldn't be any less angry than now.

The guards that had escorted them in came to a stop and one of them finally motioned Robin and Much forward. Robin stepped up, eager to finally meet the king again. The last he had seen of the man had been right after he had been wounded in the Holy Land, defending the king and his camp against what they then believed to be a Saracen attack. He had found himself in feverish dreams afterwards and when he came to again, the king had gone south, having left him behind with the order to return home.

Now the man himself had found his way back to England. Robin walked forward, glancing only briefly over the other faces that were collected in the room. Some he was familiar with, being men he had fought side by side with.

And then there was the king, standing at the far end of the hall. Robin came to a stop a distance away, knowing Much was a few steps behind him. He went down to one knee.

"Your Grace."

"Robin."

Robin looked up and met the man's gaze. It was grave and Robin could understand that the king was troubled seeing England in the state it was in. He didn't know yet what had become of Vaizey and Gisborne, but those were men who had planned to kill the king, and the monarch had to take the castle from them.

"I have heard what you have come to, Robin," the king said then and Robin only gave the shortest of nods, for he knew this had been coming. "Of all the men who have served me, you were the one I loved most," Richard went on. "It saddened me to learn that a man I value so highly has fallen out with the King's Law."

This time Robin did not nod, though he was sure that Richard understood why he had done what he had needed to do. Still, it was painful to have the king talk of the discomfort he had caused.

Richard had crossed his arms. "Your list of crimes is long, I hear. You not only took up arms against the authority of this shire, kept wrongdoers from facing justice, killed guards in the duty of protecting this town, you also stole the treasure taken from the taxes of the people, money intended to finance my campaign in the Holy Land, a business you yourself fought for years ago."

Robin frowned at this, thinking of the fact that the king just had to fight his way into the very same town. The sheriff hadn't been working for the king... Still, Robin knew that there was no point in denying that he had done those things. But he had to tell the man the reasons, had to make him understand the plots that were laid against the monarch, as well as the situation the common people had faced in Nottingham.

"Yes, Sire," he said. "But-"

"As you have been proclaimed an outlaw, you have no right to stand a trial."

Robin felt light-headed, his mouth dry as the words of the man rung in his ears. The words he wanted to speak to the king, the ones he had rehearsed so often in his mind, were running through his head now, too. He didn't need a trial, the king just needed to listen.

"As I well remember the deeds you did for me in the Holy Land, I will let you speak now." The king stood tall, looking at Robin.

He was aware that Much was still there with him, as well as the other soldiers in the hall, many of them crusaders. He kept his gaze fixed at the king though, knowing he had to make the man understand. He was home now, but who knew what might happen if Richard did not see the extend of what had been going on here, no matter that the fact that he had to wrestle this castle from Vaizey should have told him enough?

"When I returned to England, I found that this shire had been pressed out to the last, that people were starving, that the people lived in terror of a new sheriff that had been installed in my absence. When four of my peasants, starving as they were, were caught as thieves, the sheriff ordered them to hang. I could not take this injustice." Robin paused, still looking at the king, but there was no sentiment to be seen in the man's face. "I later found out that the sheriff, Vaizey, plotted to kill you, Sire, had even sent his Master-At-Arms, Guy of Gisborne, to kill you in the Holy Lands. Later he plotted with treasonous nobles, known as the Black Knights, to kill you once you landed in England." Robin let out a breath. "I am sure your Highness has heard about this. I sent you messages, too."

"Indeed I have," the king replied after a moment, but did not tell Robin where he had gained the knowledge. "If you had so much proof, for the sheriff plotting to kill your king, why then, did you not kill him? I know your bow can kill out of a thousand feet, I have seen you do it."

"The sheriff was under the protection of Prince John. He threatened to destroy this town, if anything were to happen to the sheriff," Robin explained, not mentioning that he had decided long ago that he had killed enough in the Holy Land. He had not been willing to kill anymore since his return, hadn't been intending to kill Vaizey even when he still had the chance.

"Was this the value of a king's life then?" Richard questioned, but his tone told that he desired no reply. He was silent then, watching Robin who was acutely aware of all the other people in the hall, among them men he had fought with.

"I know I have committed grave crimes, but they were done in what I considered the best interest of Your Highness as well as the people of Nottingham," he said then. "Therefore I ask for Highness's pardon."

The king was still looking at him, before his gaze went up and fell on Much, as Robin believed, the man standing a few feet behind him.

"I see your manservant followed you into outlawry," Richard said.

"He is my servant no longer," Robin replied. "I made him a free man." An outlaw, he corrected himself quietly.

The king nodded once, but it seemed more of a thoughtful gesture than a real reply. "I have to attend to other matters now." He leaned in to one of the guards then and talked to him quietly. The man nodded and came towards Robin, motioning him to follow.

The two outlaws were led out of the Great Hall again and back down the stairs. The fact that they were taken to a room told Robin that the king wasn't quite done with them yet, and apparently didn't want them to leave. When Robin heard the lock clicking, he was confirmed in that suspicion.

This hadn't gone over as he thought. He had expected Richard to be angry, but had hoped that anger would not be directed at him.

"Well, at least he didn't throw us into the dungeons," Much said, although Robin could see that the man was upset as well.

Robin shook his head slightly. "He learned about the plots against him, about the things that have happened in England in his absence. It is only natural that he is not so easy to pardon what he sees as breaking the king's law."

"But you-we fought for him!" Much shook his head as well.

Robin gave a smile that didn't contain any humour. "It doesn't look like it out of the king's perspective, does it?"

"What do you think he's going to do?"

"I don't know," Robin admitted.

"Did you see those men outside? He had them hanged, all of them," Much reminded him alarmed. "What if he's having us hanged, too?"

"Much."

"We're outlaws after all."

"Much, do not worry about that. He just needs time to calm down. Then he will see what has happened in his country."

"Yes," Much nodded. "I'm just not sure how that is going to help us."

Robin shook his head. He was sure the king was just detaining anyone at the moment who he couldn't be sure of. It was painful to be placed in that category, he had to admit, but then he also reminded himself that he had to understand the man. It was hard for him to know whom he could trust.

Robin wondered what had happened to the real traitors, Vaizey and Gisborne. And Allan.

"If...," Much started. "If he doesn't pardon us, we're not going to just stay here, are we?"

Robin looked up at his friend. He was sure the king would let them speak again. But there really was the question what else they were to do. As Richard had said it, they didn't have the right to a trial, and even if they had, it would only show that they had done what Richard had accused them of, even though it had been for the people, and for the king.

Robin had previously been ready to give himself up to the gallows, even under the sheriff's authority, if it meant that the torture of his people stopped. It was not that he had a wish to die, and he definitely hadn't given in to the sheriff, had always run from facing what was after all the law that had been set. He did not know what he was to do, if the king, a man he felt a personal loyalty to, would want him to face what the law demanded and would not pardon him. Robin trusted in the man, in that he would do the right thing, but he didn't know what he was to do if that was the king's decision.

He was not sure what he would even manage to do with the king's army stationed in and outside of Nottingham now, but he knew that Much's question was concerning the possibility of escape. But where were they to go? They could keep hiding out in the forest, but would they be doing this their whole lives? They had been prepared to stay there for a long time, but still, they had never considered it permanent, it had always been a temporary thing, which was to end when the king finally returned to the land, and the sheriff's reign would end.

"I cannot ask you to stay, Much."

The other man looked at him perplexed. "You want me to leave? To flee?"

Robin didn't answer.

"I cannot do that." Much shook his head. "I've always followed you."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The riders didn't come as a surprise. Will had been lying in wait for a while, concealed in the forest, when the first men came along the road. He wasn't quite sure if the others were still around. Djaq and John had come with him, but had also planned to go hunting, so they all would have something for dinner once Much and Robin returned from Nottingham. Will had volunteered to keep a look-out on the road. They didn't plan any ambushes, now that they all would have to wait and see how the situation in Nottingham developed, but they still wanted to know what was going on, or at least see who was coming and going.

"Who are they?" John asked suddenly from behind Will who turned to look over his shoulder, seeing him and Djaq sneaking towards him.

"They're the king's men, I think," he replied, turning back to look at the riders wearing the king's colours.

"Not only the king's men," Djaq added quietly, and just as Will wanted to ask what she meant, he saw it for himself. Will had never actually seen the king, but now that he did, there was no mistaking him. The man and his entourage were riding along the Sherwood road, neither too slowly nor in an apparent haste.

"What is he doing here?" Will wondered. "Didn't Robin want to talk to him?"

"Maybe Robin is with him," Djaq suggested.

"I don't see him..."

"I don't like this," John said, looking at the road grimly.

"Maybe Robin told him to find us..." Will wondered aloud, but didn't believe what he was suggesting himself.

"Robin wouldn't tell anyone where to find us," Djaq shook her head. "He would come himself."

"Why isn't he with the king then? And what about Much?" John pointed out.

"I don't know." Will kept his eyes trained on the road. "I say we follow them, see what they're doing."

He waited to hear what the others would say. Part of him hoped they would disagree, for Will wasn't sure he wanted to find out what they were up to. For the King to leave Nottingham, and there being no sign of Robin, worried him. But what if he was right, and the king was looking for them under Robin's suggestion? What if it was something good...then again, what if it was something not so good?

John was the first to speak. "We go."

They pursued the men through the forest for a while, keeping on their track even as they had turned back into the direction of Nottingham. Will lead the others along the side of the road, hiding as well as they could behind the foliage that hadn't reached its full growth yet in the early spring.

One of the men stopped, and Will came to a halt, too, half-turning to warn the other two to stop as well. Looking at the road again, he saw the king's man turning around and looking directly at him. For a moment Will wasn't sure the man had actually seen him and wasn't just looking into his direction coincidentally.

"Someone is hiding there, Sire," the man gripped his sword, lifting it ever so slightly to point at Will who knew now that he had been detected.

He stepped back, deeper into the bushes, making up his mind to run, when he caught Djaq's gaze just a few feet away from him, John at her side. Hoping they understood, he dashed into the other direction.

He didn't get far.

Just as the men caught up with him, he glanced back again to see John pulling Djaq away deeper into the forest, and Will was glad for it. He didn't want to know what men of the king's army would do if they were to catch a Saracen here in England in the king's forest.

The thought vanished then for the time being as he was pushed to the ground.

"Who is that?"

"We don't know, Sire. He was sneaking up on us."

The other laughed. "Looked more like he was running away."

"Put him in with the others."

Will frowned as he was pulled to his feet, wondering who the others were the man had mentioned. He guessed he would find out soon enough.

* * *

The gate didn't look very different from when she had usually come to Nottingham. Guards were posted there, just as they had always been, only that these were wearing the king's colours.

Marian stopped the horse that had she had ridden from Knighton, glancing back at the maid that was accompanying her. When she had been at the castle, Sarah had usually waited on her, but as she hoped that she and her daughter had managed to leave the town before the fighting had started, Marian had decided to bring her old maid from Knighton, if only to keep up appearances before the king.

She didn't know how long the man would stay in Nottingham now that he had taken the town, but she guessed that he would at least install a new sheriff. The idea caused a sorrowful thought to her father, just as her maid Ann returned the encouraging smile she had given her. The girl was nervous to come to the town in times like this. And that things were different Marian could see once she was inside of Nottingham.

There were hardly any people to see who didn't belong to the king's army. The few men and women that weren't, were hurrying between the castle and the town, a few of them starting to re-enter bolted up houses. What had really happened there Marian could only start to guess when she came to the marketplace.

She felt sick as she saw it, and wondered why the bodies hadn't been taken down. It could only be meant to be a sign, a threat more likely to anyone who would dare to betray the king. Marian couldn't stomach to look any more closely in order to see if she knew any of them. She probably did, if they were guards that had worked at the castle.

Once she was at the castle yard, she asked who else had arrived yet, and was told that other nobles were already here, too, hoping to talk to the king. Marian hadn't expected any different. Some of the names she heard mentioned had been working with Vaizey, and she wondered how they dared to be here quite now. Others that were here though were men who had chosen to stay away from Nottingham in the past months, had kept their heads low, after what had happened to some of their peers when the sheriff had laid a trap for them with the fake king. Marian still didn't know how people had fallen for that.

When she entered the castle, she could hear talk full of rumours about Vaizey, some of them mentioning Gisborne as well, but no one really seemed to know where they were.

She told her maid to ask for the usual room she had at the castle, and then calmed herself to make her way to the Great Hall, guessing that the other nobles would be there, too. It was the first time she had to take the place of her father. She had inherited his title and lands, and although she certainly didn't think that only men could act in situations like these, she could expect that there would be frowns at her as an unmarried woman.

She wondered if Robin was still here as well, or if he had gone back to his men. He surely wouldn't have done that before getting a chance to speak to the king.

As she came into the Great Hall she could easily spot the other nobles who were talking among each other. She didn't see Robin though, and neither was the king to be found anywhere, no matter how much she looked around in the hall. One of the nobles caught her gaze then, but she waited for him to walk over to her. He was an old man, and he took his time, while Marian remembered the days when he had been friendly with her father, though she guessed the man had mostly been friendly with the sheriff, not so much with Edward himself.

Nevertheless she smiled, as he came to a stop in front of her.

"Lady Marian."

"Sir Hubert," she nodded. He was one of the men who had chosen to stay away during the last year.

"I am glad to see you well," he said. "And I was saddened to hear of the passing of your father, Sir Edward."

"Thank you," she said simply, rather willing to go on to business now. "Do you know where the king is? I had hoped to see his Grace..." She glanced over Sir Hubert's shoulder for a moment as she saw others looking into her direction, but focused again on the man in front of her then.

"The king is visiting Sherwood today. He desired to see it."

Marian could barely suppress a smile, wondering if Robin had anything to do with it, which would also explain why he wasn't here.

"Will he be back tonight?"

The old man nodded. "He is expected to be, yes. He has many things to do and consider."

"Yes, he does. There will be a Council of Nobles, I assume? And the king will install a new sheriff?" She knew Sir Hubert had despised Vaizey, though he had not dared to speak up.

"Yes, a new sheriff, of course."

He didn't say more on the issue and Marian figured she would find out soon enough, at the Council of Nobles at the latest. Maybe the others didn't know more than she did. They were not exactly confidants of the king either. Robin probably was, after everything she had heard about his time in the Holy Land.

So she would attend the council, and see what was happening. It couldn't go much worse for Knighton than it had done during the Vaizey's rule, and she would do her best to take over for the lands, no matter that the council, just as everything around here, was a bastion of men, as little as she liked it. She could only hope that the new sheriff would inaugurate a new policy when it came to taxes and to the poor.

"Have you been here long, Sir Hubert?" she asked then, not wanting to ask directly if he had seen Robin.

"No, my Lady," he shook his head. "I just came in time to hear about young Locksley."

"What about him?" Marian asked carefully.

The old man looked at her curiously. "You know he is an outlaw. And he came here to see the king." Sir Hubert frowned. "He has always been arrogant, that one. But I didn't know he was stupid."

Marian wanted to say something, but the words didn't come.

"The king detained him, of course, him and his servant."

She looked away from the man, this time pretending to glance around the room, just to regain her calm. It didn't have to mean anything bad. It could just as well mean that the king simply wanted to talk to Robin. Or that the noble had misunderstood.

"Now he is surely going to hang. He might have managed to slip out of Vaizey's grasps, but the king isn't going to let that happen," Sir Hubert went on. "It is sad. I knew his father. One can only wonder what is to become of Locksley now, with no heirs, and Sir Guy gone, too."

Marian's gaze returned to the man, looking at him sharply now. The last comment caused her to wonder if Sir Hubert hoped that some of the Locksley lands would be given out in other nobles' favour. Marian wouldn't quite exclude that. Who knew who the king wanted to benefit, probably in exchange for a good sum of money.

"I hope things will be improving for you, too, Lady Marian," the noble went on then. "A husband could surely manage to rebuild your hall."

"I plan to rebuild the hall, yes," Marian replied. "If you excuse me, I am going to see if my maid has managed to find the right room." She smiled faintly, turning away from the man then and walked out of the Great Hall, her thoughts rushing through her head.

She hadn't been able to stand one minute longer to discuss these kind of things with the other, when her worry was about wholly different issues. She wondered where Robin was now, and what was going to happen. She couldn't imagine that the king would really have him hanged. By everything she knew, Robin had been one of the king's favourites during his time in the Holy Land. He had been in his Private Guard, along with Much. Of course, Robin was an outlaw, but this wouldn't be a problem now that the king was back, would it? He would pardon Robin and the others, once he had learned what had been going on in the shire, what Vaizey had done... This was the explanation she could come up with: the king had simply not learned the truth yet.  


* * *

  
It was frustrating to not know what was going on. For Robin probably even more so than it was for him, Much guessed, as Robin had been so much looking forward to talking to the king.

At least they were not starved, for they had been brought dinner just a little while ago, and Much was glad about it.

"They wouldn't waste food on us if they wanted to hang us, now would they?" he commented, as he was taking his share of the bread that was soft and none that had been lying around for days. He swallowed a bite. "Or maybe they would, and this is something of a last meal," he wondered worriedly as Robin didn't reply. "But I'm sure the king is going to talk to us again. And I mean, he's going to see that we had a good reason, a very good reason if you ask me, for what we did. And we were protecting him, after all, from the sheriff and Gisborne and his likes."

He stopped, looking at Robin who still didn't make any move to reply, nor to eat any of the food.

"Master?" He shoved the plate with the bread somewhat into the other's direction. "Robin?"

"What we did was right," Robin said then.

Much nodded. He knew that Robin could never have let Will and the others hang, and that was where it had all started, no matter all the trouble it had brought them.

"And I would do it again," Robin went on.

Much nodded again. "You should eat."

"And if the king wants me to face the consequences, I am going to do that." He now finally looked at Much. "I'm just sorry that I brought you into this trouble, my friend."

"Well," Much considered it, "if you hadn't brought me into this trouble with you, you'd be all alone in trouble. And that would be rather bad."

Robin grinned at that.

"What do you think is going on with the others?" he asked then, after he had at least taken a sip of the water they had been brought.

Much glanced through the tiny window in the castle wall. It was getting dark outside. "They won't expect us back tonight." They would have to take care of their own dinner.

Robin shook his head. He reached out for some of the bread, and Much made sure he also saw the slices of cheese they had been given.

Much was glad that they were at least not in the dungeons where the sheriff had usually kept any outlaws. He figured this meant the king had good intentions for them. The food was only another sign. And he didn't think the king would treat any prisoners this way. He didn't really like to think back to the gallows they had seen on the marketplace when they had come into town.

"Much," Robin said after some silent moments.

He had been watching the other anyway, so he wasn't sure why the man addressed him like that now.

"If there'll be any chance tomorrow that you can get away, I want you to do that."

"Robin, I can't-"

"I tell you to!"

"I cannot run away from the king any more than you can."

Robin nodded once, and Much almost thought he had been successful in his refusal.

"This is not about the king," the other went on though.

Much sighed. After a moment, he nodded. "When I was serving the king, I was serving you. I cannot leave you now."

"You can serve me best when you do. You can help the others. You can... talk to Marian. Tell her what happened. Protect her."

Much frowned. He didn't quite think Marian needed protection now that the sheriff was gone and the king back. She wasn't an outlaw, no matter that she had lived with them for a while. She wasn't in trouble.

Robin smiled faintly. "She agreed to marry me. When the king is back."

Much nodded, understanding the problem. "I'm sorry." After a moment, he added, "I mean, I'm not sorry that she agreed to marry you, of course. It's not the first time she agreed to that, is it? It's good she said yes again after we had left all those years ago when you were to marry her. But I'm sorry about now..."

"Will you leave when you can?"

"No."

Robin sighed, getting up from where he had been sitting and moving a little away, further into the darkness that was now taking more and more of the room.

Maybe he just wanted to sleep, Much figured. It was probably a good idea.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Marian hadn't slept well. Her old room at the castle had still held the same worry it usually had when the sheriff had still been in power. She wondered where Robin was, and what plans the king had. He would hopefully make a good choice with the new sheriff. Of course, all those years ago the old king had chosen her father, and Marian trusted that Richard would make a good decision, too. A wise sheriff would end the reign of terror Vaizey had resided over.

Before leaving for the night, she had been told officially that the king had called in the Council of Nobles for the next day. In the morning she got dressed carefully, nibbling then at the breakfast Ann had organised.

If Robin and Much had been detained, they were probably still at the castle. Or down in the dungeons. Marian swallowed down what she could of the food. She remembered the day when she had tried to free Robin from down there. This wasn't an option now. They were not dealing with the sheriff, they were dealing with the King of England.

She was curious, of course, to see the man she had heard so much about, that had been in the background of so much that had been happening – Vaizey's assembling of the Black Knights, planning to kill the king. Robin's fight to stop him.

When she came into Great Hall, being announced as Lady Marian of Knighton, some of the other few nobles had already gathered in the Hall, and the man for whom they were all there, was already residing there as well.

"Lady Marian," he said, sounding friendly and appearing younger than Marian had expected.

"Your Grace," she curtsied.

"Your father, Sir Edward, was the old sheriff of this town, was he not?"

"Yes, your Grace," she nodded. He motioned her to sit down, and Marian did so.

The king finally turned his attention to all of the assembled nobles. "There are many things we have to address here, as you can imagine. I have come to this town finding it kept by a traitor, holding it against his king. I have learned that it was my brother who set him up to it this time, my brother who has by now fled this land."

Prince John might have fled, but Marian could still only wonder what had become of his local supporters. There was no confirmed word on Vaizey, or Guy. And who knew how many of these nobles here had been working with Vaizey. She and Robin had learned a few names of the Black Knights, but they had never gotten to know all of them.

"A new sheriff has to be installed to this town," Richard went on. "I am personally going to hear complaints against those who are said to have worked against their king. I will further consider dealing with what you bring before me, so far as it shall concern me and England."

Marian wondered if the king would consider anything relating to the people of Nottinghamshire to concern him. Somehow, she doubted it, and she couldn't help the feeling that was coming up in her, that it had been foolish to believe, or hope, otherwise. So far the king had been only concerned by the fact that the sheriff had been a traitor to him. He hadn't lost a word on the plight of the people.

"I am going to leave for France soon," Richard said then, and Marian couldn't believe her ears. "Philip is causing trouble, and now that my brother seems to have joined him, it is time I take matters into my own hand." He looked around the room.

"Your Grace," Sir Ferdinand said. "We had hoped you would grace these lands for a longer time, though we support you in all your endeavours, of course."

Marian didn't much care what the man said. She didn't know much about him, he had hardly ever spoken up during the last years of Vaizey's rule, and had kept away from the Council altogether at the end.

A young man who had inherited his father's title after Vaizey had him murdered stood up. "Your Grace, I support you in any way possible. I also want to show my loyalty to you and bid therefore for the position of sheriff of this town."

It was strange to see the young man proposing this. He was probably even younger than Robin. Marian looked to the king to see how he took it.

Richard nodded with a smile. "Yes, Sir Albert. The position will go to the man who shows his loyalty by giving most for my next campaign."

Marian still didn't like the idea, but she had heard before that the king had sold offices even before he had first left for the Crusades.

"To further finance the campaign," the king went on, "the taxes in this and the other shires are going to be raised by ten percent."

Marian struggled to keep her mouth shut now, knowing she would have tried arguing with the sheriff knowing he despised her anyway, but did she want to get onto bad terms with the king? But then, speaking out was what the council was for...

"Your Grace," she started. Everyone's gaze turned to her. "The people in this shire are poor. Many of them can hardly make ends meet. The previous sheriff used the taxes to press them out even more. They cannot give more now."

It took a moment, but then the king smiled. "You speak your mind, Lady Marian."

At the same time he said this, Marian could hear a whisper between the men next to her, referring to her unmarried status. She pressed her lips together.

"These taxes are needed for my campaign. Whoever is loyal to their king, will be happy to pay them."

"Sire, Lady Marian used to speak her mind with the old sheriff, too." It was the young Albert that said this, causing her to frown even more. "Standing against the sheriff was what also caused her and the late Sir Edward to lose their home. The sheriff's Master-at-Arms had it destroyed, also detaining Lady Marian and Sir Edward." He paused for a moment. "A yet worse fate befell my father. But you already know of that, your Grace."

Marian felt cold and hot at the same time. She was angry, but she also felt the dread of what might happen if she were to put herself against the king. Nobody could win anything this way. The king was England's future.

"Your home-?" the king started, looking at Marian.

"Knighton Hall, Sire," Marian continued, "It was burned to the ground." It still hurt to think of that night, of the loss of her family's home, of her father, of what Guy had done.

"You should marry, Lady Marian," Sir Hubert suddenly said. "A husband would be able to rebuild the hall."

"Now that I may have the possibility to do so, I will certainly rebuild what I inherited from my father," Marian returned, hoping to end the issue with this.

"You have my support," the king said simply, immediately returning his gaze to Sir Albert. "I will accept the bids for sheriff in the course of the day."

It was a risk, but one she was willing to take. Thus far the mentioning of Robin Hood, the rest of his men, and all of their deeds had not been brought up. How could it be that everyone here had forgotten about what he had done? True, he had stolen from each and every one of them, but all for a good cause. And he hadn't done anyone real harm, unless it was avoidable.

"I was informed that you have Robin Hood detained," she started quietly, trying to figure out how it was best to state her words.

"I will deal with Locksley on my own time," the king was quick in cutting her off, a grim expression covering his face.

"He was supporting you."

The king frowned. "I know." Then he nodded to the other nobles in the room. "The Council is dismissed."

Marian didn't like how quickly the man had cut the topic off, and wondered if she should approach him directly now. However, Richard strode out of the room before any of the other nobles had even left, and Marian could only watch him leave.

* * *

It hadn't gone as well as Allan could have hoped for, but then he had also not ended up like those corpses that he had seen hanging at Nottingham's market, so that was at least something.

He was currently being pushed out of the west gate of Nottingham, though not in order to be released to freedom, he guessed. He wasn't alone in this, for other men who had been caught in the town were being told to move along by the king's men as well.

Allan didn't put up resistance, knowing he couldn't gain anything without weapons anyway and his sword had been taken in what hadn't really been a fair fight from the beginning. He hoped the king had satisfied his blood thirst for now, and figured that he would find a way out some time. Someone would be careless and he would use the opportunity. At least he was out of the town now, even though in a most involuntary way.

"Come on," one of the guards called out to him. Allan held up his hands to show that he went along with it. He hoped the king was really as holy and good as Robin had always made him out to be. What had happened to some of Nottingham's guards didn't exactly look that way.

Allan didn't mind stretching his legs by walking after being cooped up for a while, first in the inn, then in Nottingham after the soldiers had found him in the tavern. He hadn't been able to talk his way out of then, but then he had at least avoided a worse fate for now, apparently not too obviously one of the sheriff's men. Well, technically he had never been the sheriff's man, more so Gisborne's, if even that at all. He'd be sure to tell that to anyone that he had nothing to do with Vaizey.

After a few minutes he could make out what the crowd of people he had seen in the distance was doing. They were soldiers, too, and they were erecting fencing that was already enclosing other prisoners outside of the king's camp. Allan appreciated the work they were doing in that they seemed to have at least a plan for them that didn't involve hanging for now.

He looked up into the sky and saw that it was cloudy. If it were to rain, he would certainly appreciate a roof over his head. But this was probably still better than the dungeons.

So far he didn't see any other of the sheriff's guards. He preferred that it stayed that way, for he guessed it would be in his favour if the king's men didn't learn who he had been working for. He figured that it would actually be for the best, if he could believably tell that he was one of Robin Hood's men. Robin was the king's man after all, and the king would surely consider none of Robin's men his enemy. Alliances were certainly a curious thing.

He looked at one of the guards. "So how long till you'll let us go?" he asked in as jovial a manner as possible, hinting that he considered it a matter of course.

The guard shrugged. "Not sure yet. We've to find out who you lot are first."

"Well, I can tell you. I'm Allan-a-Dale. I'm one of Robin Hood's men, if you know him." Allan smiled winningly. "Now you know who I am..."

The guard looked at him for another moment, but then turned away to listen to what another man was saying without giving Allan an answer. Allan frowned, figuring that it hadn't gone all too badly. He just had to make certain he established his story and stuck with it.

The guard turned back to him. "You lot can settle down over there," he pointed towards where a group of people was already busy placing straw to heaps that were probably supposed to be comfortable.

Slowly, though not really reluctantly, Allan walked over to them. He only came to a stop when one of the men looked up. Then he knew that he could already forget about his story.

Will kept his gaze only for a second, before he continued his task, and Allan wondered what was going on in the man's head, and how he had managed to end up here.

* * *

Djaq ducked behind the tree, knowing that John behind her would have a much harder time to vanish out of sight than she did. The two of them had tried to see if they could get into Nottingham, but the army that was camping around the town effectively kept them from it.

They didn't know what had happened to Will, didn't know where Robin and Much were; the only thing that was on Djaq's mind was that they had to find out.

They had been on the way from Nottingham to Clun, when what they guessed to be more of the king's men had caught sight of them. She and John had broken into a run, hurrying deeper into the forest. It was not that the men had taken pursuit, as far as they could tell. The two had not exactly given them any reason to do so, but Djaq being a Saracen and John an outlaw for many years, they had not wanted to take any risks, especially after Will had been caught simply because of just hiding near the king's men.

Now she was watching from behind the tree, seeing no one coming after them.

"What do we do?" she asked, turning to John.

"Go to Clun, as planned," John said. "We look if there are still people from Nottingham who need our help."

"Will?" If only they knew where he was...

After a moment, he shook his head. "We can't get into Nottingham."

She nodded, knowing what he meant.

"We go to Clun, try Nottingham later," he added after some moments of studying her. They couldn't do more now, but she was grateful for the assurance.

It would help if they at least knew where Will was, or if Robin and Much returned. Robin knew the king, would have an idea what they might be able to do about Will.

For now, she and John were to continue their way to Clun.

* * *

Marian still felt uncomfortable. It wasn't the same kind of uncomfortableness she had usually felt being at the castle when Vaizey had been sheriff here, but still she felt out of place. It had been some time since the Council of Nobles had taken place in a fashion like this, with most of the nobles of the shire around and attending.

Just the one she had expected to be at the side of the king at this moment wasn't here. She knew that the king had certainly not been happy to see Nottingham barricaded, or to learn of traitorous plots against him, but now the man was punishing not only those who had worked against him, but also those who had been fighting for him, even if by unlawful ways?

She had returned to the Great Hall a little while ago, had talked to a few other nobles, mostly those who claimed a friendship to her father, and had else only been able to watch as several men went up to the king's quarter, certain to make their bids for sheriff, or more precisely to count how much they were able to pay for it.

She had pondered ideas. She should find out where Robin and Much were. She should plan what she could do. It wouldn't be the first time she had helped him escape...

But she couldn't work against the king. It would make her a traitor, wouldn't it? As she watched the young man who had announced his bid for sheriff in the morning leave the hall, she wondered if this would really be the case. If she were to help Robin, and Much, wouldn't she just stop something that was unjust? It wouldn't hurt the king. The man was only concerned about his next campaign; it didn't make a difference to him if Robin was here or not.

At this moment she noticed that Sir Hubert was smiling in her direction, and a few moments later he walked over to her.

"Lady Marian," he nodded.

"How are the sheriff's bids going?" Marian asked, tired of the topic really, when she could just hope that a reasonable man would be found, figuring at least that he couldn't be worse than Vaizey had been, whoever would be chosen.

"There are a number of bids," Sir Hubert replied simply. She wasn't sure why he didn't say more, but maybe he thought she didn't care, or he thought she wouldn't understand.

"The king's just collecting money for his campaign," she said. Sir Hubert claimed to be a good enough friend of her family to allow her frankness.

The man nodded. "There is something just about that I wanted to tell you."

Marian frowned. "And that is?"

"You have inherited Knighton and its lands, Lady Marian," he started.

"Yes."

"Yet, you are unmarried."

"Yes," she replied simply.

"You know-"

"I know that this is my personal matter," Marian returned.

"It is the king's matter," Sir Hubert contradicted her.

"The king is leaving for France."

"He hasn't left yet. Your family is one who has sworn fealty to the king, and you have inherited your father's-"

"I know I have. I will choose a husband in time."

"You have been betrothed before, twice as far as I know. After your father's death it has become the right of the king to have a word in this."

"The king has other matters to attend to," Marian returned this time. The man hadn't even taken the time to care about the matter of one of his most loyal men yet; the monarch wouldn't be bothered about anything like her marrying anyone, no matter what the nobles thought.

Sir Hubert nodded. "Yes." He smiled. "The sheriff's bids will be done by tonight."

Marian appreciated that he at least seemed to have turned away from the topic of marriage for now. Considering how often Guy had started the topic, she had hoped she wouldn't get to hear it again in this castle at a time like this. The thought made her wonder where Guy was. Nobody had seen him since the siege had begun. Rumours were going around enough, but Marian wasn't sure which to believe. It could very well be that the man was dead, and she would be sorry about that. Despite all the bad things he had done, she had always hoped he might find a better way in life. Maybe it was true that he had fled, with Vaizey, or alone more in likely. Marian didn't believe that Guy would stay with Vaizey if there was no promise of power anymore, and Vaizey's was most certainly gone. At least in Nottingham, for she couldn't know what kind of ties the man might have with his so-called Black Knights.

A few minutes later, she excused herself from Sir Hubert and left the hall, knowing some of the gazes on her. She guessed the king was still upstairs, collecting bids and promises of payments. Thinking of what Sir Hubert had said, she had the sudden disturbing idea that the king might even accept a payment for the right to Knighton, a right to her. She shook her head.

She walked upstairs, but didn't get far as she saw the king's scribe coming down at the others end, two guards and then the king himself following behind.

She stopped. Richard had already caught sight of her.

"Your Grace," she said.

"Lady Marian?" he smiled. "Have you come to make a bid for sheriff, too?" he laughed. "I know you are your father's daughter."

"I've come to make a different kind of offer."

Richard grimaced. "Will it give me funds for Normandy, too?"

"It might," she replied.

"What is it?"

Marian wished that she wouldn't have to ask this on the steps of stairs at the castle, but then she couldn't be choosy when it came to talking to the King of England, especially one who apparently did not intend to spend much time in his country.

"I want to make an offer for the release for Robin of Locksley," she said firmly. There was silence, and she knew how crazy it had to be for her to ask this.

The king's previous jovial manner was gone now. He looked at her seriously.

"Robin of Locksley is my own concern," he said then. "I cannot accept any pledges for him," he shook his head. "And he is an outlaw, by which he has forfeited the right to a trial."

"He has been loyal to you," Marian insisted. "You need money for your campaign-"

"That I do," the king nodded. "The bid for sheriff will be decided tonight. If you want to make an offer for that, Lady Marian, my scribe is ready to take it."

The man walked past her then, and Marian watched him and his companions go.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Marian closed the door behind her, pulling the coat she was wearing tightly around her then. She didn't plan to go out, but the hood it came with and the mask she was keeping stashed away in her pocket for now would have to suffice if she were to try to revive the Nightwatchman tonight.

She was still not sure she was going to do this, the idea of working against the king bringing up pangs of guilt that her mind tried to counter by assurances that it was only trying to rectify an injustice, and not something that would hurt the king.

What were her other options? She didn't know how long the king would even stay, the talk of his coming departure already making its rounds in the castle. She could tell him more about what had happened, how the sheriff had oppressed the people, more about what Robin and the others had done to help, how they had been working against Vaizey's plot to kill the king... Richard had heard plenty of the plot as far as she could tell, but he had not listened to many stories about what had else been going on with the people.

What she intended to do now was to look for Robin and Much. They had to be somewhere after all.  
She couldn't believe that they would be held down in the dungeons, but she was going to check anyway. She had been down there plenty of times when her father had been kept captive there, so the way felt more than familiar. She hadn't yet made it to the lowest floor when she could see a maid carrying a tray with food towards a room in front of which one of the king's men was standing guard.

Marian stepped next to her, and touched her shoulder. The girl cried out softly. She looked around at Marian and seemed to recognize her.

"Can I take this?" Marian asked quickly, pointing at the tray.

The maid looked at her confused, but nodded, handing over the tray.

Marian moved towards the guard, carefully balancing the tray while trying to keep her eyes down. She figured the guard wouldn't pay much attention to a maid, so he would hopefully not look at her closely.

Of course she could have asked to speak to Robin directly, but after she had already voiced her interest by making the offer to the king, she didn't think it wise to be forward like this, or else someone might question her relationship to the outlaw. So far her interest might be attributed to charity, or concern based on their betrothal years ago, but it might not be wise at this point to show how deeply she really cared, how close they were.

She wasn't even sure that Much and Robin were really in the room though. She was only guessing that this was the case. She came to a stop before the guard and he nodded simply, turning to unlock the door. Marian moved into the room, seeing the guard step in after her. She could see the two men looking up from where they were sitting in the shine of a lantern.

Robin opened his mouth to speak but her glare made him fall silent. Marian put down the tray and glanced to the guard, seeing that he had turned his back to her and was moving into the hallway again.

She looked back at Robin, as he moved towards the tray. "Can I help you in any way?" she whispered urgently.

"What is with the king? What is he doing?" Robin returned.

"There's the Council of Nobles. I tried to speak for you, but he said you were his personal matter. Robin, we can overpower the guard. I can get you out of here..."

Robin was already shaking his head. "I will speak to the king. He will listen to my story."

Marian looked at Much, hoping to find support there, but his face told her that it was hopeless. She nodded. "I will see you later." Not wanting to linger any longer so not to make the guard suspicious, she turned and left the room, the man locking the door once she was out.

Marian breathed out once she was away from the guard. It had gone way too fast and she hadn't had enough time to argue with Robin. The short exchange had told her what she could have expected: Robin trusted in his loyalty to the king.

She could only hope the man proved worthy of that trust.

* * *

Will had tried to stay calm when the soldiers had caught him, had kept quiet, waiting for the moment to get away that would arrive at some point. He had quickly learned that it were indeed king's men who had taken him, just like he, Djaq and John had first thought when they had spotted them in the forest. They kept referring to the man in a manner that told of their respect to him.

Will knew that Robin and Much had gone to talk to the man, so Will had hope that – if all else failed – they would be able to help him.

He was surprised to find that he was put with a number of other men, none of which he knew, in the king's camp outside of Nottingham. They were told to make themselves some kind of shelter, and as Will figured that it could take a while till he was free again, he decided he could just as well go ahead with it and help some of the others.

It was later that Will saw him and was stunned for a moment. He didn't know how the man had got here, but he had apparently been taken captive as well. Once he was past the first surprise he felt that it was good to see him alive – despite everything that had happened.

Will remembered the day when he and the Fool had been caught and brought before the sheriff, before being taken away to hang. Allan had helped them then – in a way. He had helped them by looking the other way. Now when the king came to Nottingham, Allan had been with the sheriff, and had apparently been caught when the army took the town.

Will only wondered briefly whether the sheriff and Gisborne were around here as well – but he doubted it. He figured that most of the men were either simple guards, lackeys like Allan, or men like Will that had just crossed the way of the king's soldiers. The really big fish were likely somewhere else – whether caught, dead or fled, Will didn't know.

Allan had seen him, too, by now, and Will kept his gaze for a moment. He wasn't sure what to do. On the one hand he wanted to talk to the man; they had been friends after all. Maybe the other did even know more about what was going on. On the other hand, there was still the memory of the betrayal, and that Allan had gone to work for Gisborne and the sheriff - of all people. The men who had his father killed, who had hurt so many.

Pondering this, Will settled down, resting for awhile just like some of the others did, but was still alert to what was going on around him. The other men around him were talking, some of them at least, telling each other what had happened, how they had ended up here. He heard talk of the king and of the sheriff, but nothing much that one could take for certain.

It felt as if he had almost dozed off, when a name caught his attention.

"He's one of Robin Hood's men," someone of the group sitting on his left side said. Another whisper confirmed the claim.

Will moved ever so slightly to make sure the hood of his cloak was deep in his face. If the men had already recognized him, it was too late to hide, but he wasn't feeling up to any of the gossip either, so it was better if they thought he was sleeping.

"How do you know?" another man asked, a little louder than the one who had only dared a whisper.

"I heard him say so," came the reply, and Will frowned, knowing he hadn't said any such thing. It would never be the smart thing to admit you were an outlaw, even if it was by saying he was with Robin, Robin who was with the king, who had been one of the king's favourites, who was probably talking to the same man right now. It would only help once he knew this actually was the case, that Robin would actually be able to help him.

"And you think it's true?"

"Well, look at him. He looks like one of Robin Hood's, doesn't he?"

Will dared to glance up at this, if only to see where to the man was looking.

It shouldn't have come as a surprise to him that it was Allan their attention was at. The liar had told another lie. Will scoffed quietly.

"I've no idea," another man said, while Will felt that he did have a clear idea on the matter. It was typical of Allan to claim an association with Robin, if he believed it to help him. Will brooded over the matter, realising then that his own approach wasn't really much different. Apart from the fact that he didn't make any stuff up.

* * *

It was a sleepless night. Marian's visit had come as an utter surprise, and she had been forced to leave so quickly that he had hardly had any time to react to it. She had apparently been worried about him to make her go through the trouble to get to him and Much. Still, he couldn't have made any other decision than to turn down her offer of escape.

Now he wondered if he should have agreed. Through the small window he could see that the sun was just going up outside, and Robin didn't know what the day would bring. He couldn't imagine the king would keep them here much longer.

If he had gone with Marian last night, he might have had a chance to get to the king and talk to him alone. He was sure the man would have listened to him, if he wasn't surrounded by other nobles and all the other men who had wanted something from him.

He looked to Much, who had slept during the night and was surprisingly quiet this morning. Robin wasn't sure if it was because of him or if Much had his own reasons.

At this moment, the door was opened unexpectedly, and the guard – a different one than last night – looked inside.

"Robin, the king wants to speak to you."

Robin moved to his feet, knowing that the time of waiting and wondering was over now. Much stood to follow him, but Robin wasn't sure if that was a good idea. He needed to speak to the king alone, and the guard had only spoken of him in any way. On the other hand, leaving his friend behind was not an option either.

They walked after the guard and Robin noticed that there were no other men coming with them, showing that they were apparently trusted enough not to try to flee now. But then, there were probably plenty of men positioned at the castle gates, so any escape would end soon enough. In fact, it would only show clearly that they were not to be trusted. If they were heavily guarded, there would be no temptation to flee, but not trying to escape now would maybe show the king that they were loyal to him. Robin hoped that he wasn't only making up things in his head.

Once they arrived at the king's quarters, their guard looked at him and Robin understood that only he was supposed to enter. Robin glanced at Much, trying to put confidence into his expression, silently telling his friend that he would be back. Then the door was opened and he was led into a private chamber. The king was there and he was alone, not surrounded by nobles and guards as on the other day.

He nodded to the man that had brought Robin. "Leave us."

The man bowed briefly and walked outside, closing the door to the chamber.

"I have pondered about what to do with you, Robin," the king started immediately.

"Your Grace-"

"You know I value you highly."

Robin said nothing.

"But then I cannot have my nobles breaking the King's Law at their will, no matter the disagreements that may occur with a sheriff that was rightfully installed, even though the man here was an unfortunate choice of my brother."

Robin could have said much about the injustice he had seen, about the people whose lives he had needed to save, and about those who had lost theirs, about many things, but from the time when he had first seen the king in Nottingham to the time now he had come to realise that these were not the matters that were on the king's mind.

"By the law I would not do you wrong to have you hang," Richard continued.

The man let this stand between them for a few moments, and Robin felt himself stiffen, but the words the other had chosen could only indicate that this was not what he really planned.

"But you know I do not want to do this," the man went on then. "But I have to do something." The man paced to the left side of the room, gazing out of the window down into the castle yard. "When I say, I cannot have my nobles go against the King's Law, I mean it especially in these difficult times. What I need are men who are loyal to me." He turned from the window back to Robin. "You have sworn loyalty to me before."

"Yes, Your Grace," Robin nodded.

"I will lay a choice before you," the king told him then. "I am not to stay in England for long. My brother has gone to Normandy, and matters are becoming more and more troublesome with Phillip over there. I have to go and take these matters into my own hands."

Robin did not reply anything, unbelieving that the king was to leave the country again so soon after his return.

"I request you come with me and rejoin my private guard."

Robin just stared at the other man. His head was suddenly full of thoughts, other thoughts than before, when he had wondered if his fate would end by the king's orders.

Years ago he had been devastated to be sent home after his injury, but he had come to realise that he was tired of the killing, that he did not want to partake in war anymore. Then there were thoughts of leaving his home, his country again, maybe never to return. Then there was Marian... he could not leave her again...

"If you do not wish to fulfil your king's request," Richard went on, "I will give you the chance to leave this town in the course of an hour. You are not to return here, or the newly installed Sheriff of Nottingham may deal with you as with any other outlaw."

* * *

Robin left the quarters with his head full of thoughts. The decision hadn't been easy, though the choice had been obvious. He couldn't go back to the forest – what would he do then? There would be no king's return to wait for, no better times in the future. Still, if it had helped someone, he might have decided on that course, but it would help no one, certainly not the people of Locksley and Nottingham. And leaving Nottinghamshire behind was not an option either. Making himself an enemy of the king would have him hunted in the whole of England.

Much was waiting for him. Of course he was, and Robin knew it would be difficult to make him leave. The king hadn't said anything about Much. Maybe he assumed the man would simply come with him again, but Robin couldn't expect that of Much. He had made him a free man and that he was to be – if a solution was found for him and the other outlaws. Still, it would be better for Much to stay in England. But he had to leave the castle now, leave until somehow a solution would be found for Robin's men.

"Robin," Much greeted him with a wide smile when he saw him.

"Much, you've got to go now," Robin said earnestly. No guard had been sent after him.

"No, Master, I-"

"I'm sure you can find a way out of here. Find the others and tell them that I'm going to be gone for a while."

"But-"

"Please, Much."

Much looked at him. After a moment, he nodded. "What about you?"

"I'll be alright." He was surprised Much had agreed so quickly.

"Where are you going?"

"The king needs me. I'm not sure yet how long it will take," Robin explained. "Go now. Look after the others." He gave him a quick smile, and then a nod. Much looked at him still hesitantly, but took a step backwards then, before he turned and walked down the hallway, glancing back at Robin several times. Robin hoped that Much would find a way out, and that he would be alright.

Now he had to find Marian and explain things to her. He felt cold dread when he thought of this.

* * *

The Council of Nobles had settled in for their third day of meeting, and in the morning, the new Sheriff of Nottingham had been named. The young Albert hadn't won the bid, had apparently not paid enough for it, but Sir Hubert had won the office. Of course, he hadn't even mentioned his bid to Marian, but that was of small importance now.

At least she knew the man, knew who she would have to get along with in the upcoming time. There could have been worse choices too, she guessed. She didn't know if the man was especially able, but at least he didn't have the cruelty in him that they had seen in Vaizey.

Everyone expected the king to leave soon now. The man had been visibly impatient the day before, and was even more so now. He had announced that he expected his brother John to appear before him, a demand that was met with much uproar, for the nobles here considered John a traitor.

Marian was still unsettled by the previous night when she had seen Robin and Much. She had pondered since then what else she could do. She had even considered the Nightwatchman again. She could don the mask, surprise the guards, get Robin and Much out of there. Robin might argue with her, it wouldn't be the first time, but she could make him go...

With these thoughts in mind, she entered the Great Hall, suddenly finding herself in front of King Richard himself.

"Lady Marian."

"Your Grace."

"Your father was a good sheriff, I hear."

Marian nodded. "I think he was."

"You live here at the castle?"

"Yes. My father and I were here under house arrest ever since Knighton was destroyed." She told him this calmly, it being not the time to be upset about it. "I managed to flee when the castle was in uproar about your arrival, and returned to attend the council."

The king gave a nod. "I hope you are planning to rebuild at Knighton?"

"Yes, I hope I will have the means to," she confirmed. She hadn't made any definite plans about it yet, but it had been in the back of her mind.

The king smiled. "I want to make you an offer. In memory of the services of your father, for the time until your home will be rebuilt, I want to entrust you with Locksley," he said. "As you know, the former sheriff had entrusted the place to a man loyal to him, Guy of Gisborne. We have a new sheriff now, Sir Hubert, who also praised your father's work, and agrees with me in this matter."

Marian didn't know what to say. She was stunned by the offer, not only because of her father... Locksley... Robin... But that meant that Locksley was vacant... what about Robin? Just when she had tried to reach an agreement with the king about him? The man had not mentioned that matter again.

"I thank you, Your Grace."

She knew these words would not have been considered sufficient by many, but what else could she say?

"It is settled then," Richard nodded with a smile, being in a good, though still edgy mood, that seemed to drive him to leave soon.  
**  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Much didn't like this at all. But as little as he liked it, Robin had asked him to leave, to find the others, no matter that Much had tried to insist these last few days that he would never leave him. At least leaving would be a good start. As soon as he was out of here, he could think about the next step.

He tried to think of the ways the outlaws had gotten in and out of the castle in the past. It hadn't always been easy and ever since Allan had told the sheriff all about their secret ways, it had become even harder. Well, at least now he only needed to get out, not in.

He did his best to move along the empty, dimly lit hallways of the castle instead of the more frequented ones. A couple of times he still met a maid or other servant, but no one really paid attention to him. Soon he reached the kitchen, unmistakable by the smells that reached his nose. He smiled. Of course they would cook well for the king.

As he walked into the rooms that were heated by the fires and ovens, smoke filling parts of them, none of the working cooks and maids looked his way. Maybe it would be a smart thing to get some food here, before he tried to get out of Nottingham and back to camp.

He turned to a maid who was just busy cutting turnips. "Well, hello."

She glanced at him briefly only, not pausing in her work. "Hello," she said to the turnips.

"Is there a way I could get some... food?" he smiled, though she wasn't looking at him.

"You're working here?"

It wasn't the maid who asked this, but someone behind him, and Much turned around and saw that it was a man in the king's colours, a king's guard.

"Yes," he nodded quickly, setting his hat in correct order with one hand and reaching for a head of cabbage with the other. "I'm the cook!"

The other man looked at him gravely. "Then make sure dinner will be ready in time. The king wants pork and beef today."

"Pork and beef," Much nodded. "A good choice."

The guard turned away and left the increasingly fume- and smoke-filled room.

"You're a cook?" the maid asked him then.

Much shrugged. "Yes, but I don't usually get to cook pork." So it seemed that he could simply stick around for a bit and leave later when no one would pay attention to him. He needed time to come up with a good excuse to leave the town.

* * *

She had been just looking at the room for a while, wondering what she was to do. She didn't know if she even wanted, would even be able to stand going to Locksley, and guessed that she would not be able to make a decision not knowing what was happening to Robin.

A sound behind her made her turn. He had dropped in as he had so often done it before. She only took a hesitant step towards him when she saw his expression.

"Robin."

Once she had said the word, he was quicker than her, having her in his arms in another moment.

"What is it?" she asked then, knowing that things were not alright. When he didn't speak, she pulled out of his embrace, looking at him closely.

"What is the king going to do?" she asked in a quiet voice. "What are you going to do?"

He looked utterly downcast, and the worry inside of her was mounting.

"I have to leave," he said then.

"Why?" was her immediate response, images of flight on her mind. If he had to flee, if he had to escape from the castle, from the king's guards... If he was to run from them, no place would be safe... and Sherwood could not be his home forever. Then came the question as to what she would do? Follow him?

"The king wants me to go with him to Normandy, rejoin his private guard," Robin explained then, not able to look at her.

There were conflicting emotions in her. First there was the realisation of him leaving – again. Of war. Of him never returning. Then there was hope, that he was free, or at least had the chance. That he wouldn't have to run, that he would live.

She nodded. "I understand."

"We are probably going to leave tomorrow," he added, swallowing.

Marian nodded again. She wrapped her arms around his neck, determined to enjoy the moment.

She wasn't sure how much time was passing, but then she couldn't remember a time when they had been as undisturbed for themselves as they were now. Robin's kiss lingered for a moment and then he sighed, moving back. She pulled him to her again, moving her hands downwards from his hair to his back. She didn't think about anything else, but after a moments, when they had already moved closer to her bed, the most natural thing for her at this moment, Robin stopped her.

"What?"

He shook his head. "We can't do this."

She smiled. "We can."

He looked at her and she pulled him towards her again.

"We are as good as married, Robin."

He shook his head. "We're not."

She played with his hair again. "We've made a promise to each other."

"It is not that I do not want this," Robin said. "But I am going to leave. What if...?"

He didn't return? She became with child?

She wasn't sure what was on his mind.

"What if we never get to share this?" she returned. "We have waited so long. For things to get better, for the king to return."

"I'm sorry." Robin looked down, clenching his hands to fists as they slid off her. "I can't expect you to wait longer. I never should have left you in the first place."

Stroking the back of his hand till he opened it, she took it in hers, laying the other around his neck to pull him to her again. "We're here now."

* * *

In the morning, Marian looked at him with a tight smile. "Maybe you can get one of Djaq's pigeons to send messages to me," she suggested in a light voice, but Robin knew all too well that her words didn't really fit her mood. But then the morning had already moved on, and he would have to leave soon. She didn't want to spoil the rest of their time.

So he smiled back at her while putting on his boots. He himself was having trouble showing the carefree spirits he so often portrayed and that had helped him a good many times. Last night he had given up on it with her, not willing to hide from her how he was really feeling.

"France is not so far," he said, both meaning it seriously and taking up what she had said. "Not like the Holy Land." Maybe the king would return to England soon, maybe he wouldn't be gone long...

He was finished dressing now, and they could hear the bells of Nottingham Church sounding outside announcing the hour. It was time to leave. He was expected with the king's men; he would show them that he still stood loyal to the man.

"Robin, there's something I haven't told you yet."

He looked at her, puzzled. "What is it?"

"It's about Locksley."

He nodded.

"The king wants me to take it for now. Now that Gisborne is gone..."

The idea stunned Robin at first. Marian at Locksley? Well, her home was destroyed... it made sense...

"He said it's in memory of my father's services," she went on.

It was definitely good to know. When he had last left, all those years ago, he had not really thought about what would happen in his absence. He had been so eager to leave then, had trusted that Thornton and the other servants remained behind to take care of Locksley, while Edward ruled as sheriff in Nottingham. Life in the villages was usually slow and he hadn't even thought that he would be gone for longer than one, maybe two years. He hadn't expected anything to change for the worse in his absence. Of course, then Vaizey had taken over as sheriff had installed Gisborne in Locksley.

It was good to know now that Marian would be there, at least until she could return to her home in Knighton, or until she married, which he knew everyone would expect her to do, maybe demand her to do, once things had calmed in and around Nottingham. No matter that she might feel herself bound to him.

At least he was not leaving Locksley to be picked up by whatever noble the newly installed sheriff might see as a potential ally or wanted to favour.

He nodded. "It's good to know," he smiled. She had come over to him and he took her into another hug. "Goodbye."

"Take care, Robin."

* * *

It was with some uncertainty that Robin went down to the king's private guard. The last time he had seen many of those men had been a long time ago in Acre, when the king had been attacked, and he himself had been wounded, which had resulted in him being sent home to England. He wondered if the men remembered him as the one he had been then, or saw him as that what he had become by now, an outlaw.

His bow and arrows had been returned to him and Robin was gripping the former gladly, as he made his way to where the private guard was housed. He wondered what his status was going to be now. The king had asked him to rejoin the private guard, but was he supposed to just pick up where he had left in the Holy Land? So many things had happened since then...

"Robin of Locksley," he was called from behind, and as he turned around, he found himself facing Harold, a man who had been with the king for many years.

"Harold," Robin nodded towards him.

"You are back with us?" the other questioned.

"Yes." He wasn't quite sure how much the other knew. The men certainly couldn't have failed to hear what had happened, but it was not certain that he knew that Robin was not back here quite voluntarily. Not that it really mattered. He was not going to let it affect him either way.

"The king is eager to leave today," Harold continued. "But I'm sure you know that, Robin. Always the king's favourite?" he laughed.

"No, he didn't tell me," Robin returned. He had expected that they were to leave soon, but nobody had told him exactly when. But then he knew that Harold didn't mean to aggravate him with the supposition. The man was just frank. "How long do you think the campaign in Normandy will take?" he asked.

Harold shrugged. "How long can it take to run up John? He's hiding his backside somewhere and making trouble from there. But once we're done with him, who knows where the king is heading for next?" the man laughed again. "He's never been one to sit at home."

"No," Robin shook his head in agreement. Behind Harold he could see another man coming up, and he smiled as he saw him. "Carter." He hadn't known the man was with the king again, having planned to return to the Holy Land to visit his brother's grave. He had not mentioned that he wanted to rejoin the fighting.

"Robin," the man stepped close to him, taking his hand in greeting. "The king requested you rejoin him?" he asked quietly. His tone indicated that he knew of the implications behind his question.

Robin nodded. "What about you? Have you been to the Holy Land again?"

Carter nodded as well. "But I didn't spend much time there. I decided to return to England, see if the king could still need me," he explained. "He let me join his private guard, and I've been with him ever since London." He frowned. "Where's Much? Isn't he with you anymore?"

"No, I asked him to leave." Carter's frown deepened at this. "His home is here. He's followed me long enough. I want him to make his own life now." He didn't know how that life would be, but anything would be better for Much than going back to war. Robin knew that it had been harder on Much than on him even.

"The king is going to leave Nottingham today," Carter went on.

"Yeah, Harold told me. Where are we heading?"

"To Clipstone at first, but then we're heading south."

Robin nodded once. If they were to go north into Sherwood Forest first, it would take a while before they would even cross over to France. It could take weeks, months even.

* * *

Much was running. He'd first headed for the forest, but had been cut off when he'd spotted men in the king's colours coming from there, and it was them he wanted to avoid. It felt odd to do so, as he was supposed to be their friend after all.

It had been easy to leave the castle's kitchens after he had stayed there for a while, helping out with the cooking and getting a meal in return. The trouble had started once he left the town. The gates were still heavily guarded and Much had tried to leave inconspicuously, but when one of the guards had set on him, he had lost his nerve and broken into a run.

He was quite sure to have lost any pursuers soon, but didn't feel well walking too slowly. After the forest turned out not to be a good direction to head into, his feet carried him on the way towards Clun, which was closest to Nottingham after all.

All the while he was walking, Much considered the problem he had. Robin had told him to find the others, but then he had thought that it might be a good idea to follow where Robin was going, make sure he wasn't getting into any trouble without him. But what if he got Robin into more trouble because he tried to follow and was caught?

Much came to a stop, turning to look back at Nottingham, which was only a small patch of houses and walls in the distance now. Turning away from the town again, he continued on the way to Clun. He would need to go back to camp, rest and eat there. Then he would decide. He knew in his heart that he would not be able to stand not going after Robin. He also had to find the others.

They were certainly still around here, probably even waiting at the camp. He would find them, and then he would find Robin. For what else was he to do? The sheriff was gone, but still things were not right. He hadn't really had plans like Robin had. Well, maybe he had some. There was Bonchurch of course, but that had been pushed to the back of his mind for so long, and now it was even further away. He also remembered how he had once told _her_what he would do when things were right again.

But they weren't.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Marian spurred her horse on the way to Knighton. She hadn't been able to tolerate Nottingham Castle for very long once the king and his men had left. The Council of Nobles was over for now, and several of the nobles had returned to their lands, while the new sheriff, Sir Hubert, went on establishing himself and men loyal to him in Nottingham.

She arrived in Knighton just before noon and dismounted to lead her horse around the place where her home had been. The ruins hadn't been touched by the people of Knighton, but Marian knew there was nothing that could be done with it anymore. They would have to get rid of it all and start anew if they were to rebuild the hall.

It was a good thing that it was still early in April, the winter just over, so they would be able to start soon. If things went well, much of the work might be done before the next winter came, and she might be able to return to living in Knighton.

For now, she was to go to Locksley. It was with mixed feelings that she directed her horse towards the other village. Years ago, she had expected to be living there soon. First when she had been betrothed to Robin, then later to Gisborne. Both men were gone now. Of course, she still expected Robin to one day return to the village, to settle back in what was his home. Until then, she would take care of it, and she hoped she would do him and the villagers right.

When Marian rode into Locksley, gazes turned her way and she smiled back, hurrying on to the manor though. Her horse was taken care of, and it wasn't a surprise to her to see the big man lurking in the shadows when she walked towards the house.

She stepped towards John and could then see the smaller person, too. So John and Djaq had come, but she could only wonder where the rest of Robin's men were. Much hadn't gone with Robin, he had told her so, before he left.

Suddenly she wondered, if they even knew. She didn't think Robin had had a chance to speak to them, so they might not even have heard yet that he had left with the king.

"Marian," John nodded towards her in greeting.

"John, Djaq," she smiled. "Where are the others?"

John glanced at Djaq. "We do not know."

"What happened?"

"Will," Djaq started. "He was caught," she said simply, but Marian could see that she wasn't as calm inside as her words were. "We think they were king's men. On the day after the king took Nottingham, we saw them in the forest. They caught sight of Will and..."

Marian nodded. She hadn't known about it, but if it had really been the king's men... maybe Robin would be able to help him.

"We did not get into in Nottingham," Djaq went on. "But we heard they hanged prisoners there." John glanced at her again.

Marian frowned. "Yes, but they were men that were taken during the attack on the castle, sheriff's men. There were no hangings later on." She knew this well, as she had feared for Robin in light of the wrath of the king. "Robin is with the king," she said quickly, thinking that it might give the other two hope.

"He is?" Djaq asked. "The king left, did he not? What about Much?"

Marian nodded again. "Robin left with the king, but Much didn't, as far as I know." She could see the deep frown on John's face as she told them this. "He did not go voluntarily," she took care to explain, willing them to understand that Robin had not simply left them behind.

"What do you mean?" John wanted to know.

Marian wasn't sure how to explain it, but with whom else would she better be able to talk about it than with Robin's men?

"Robin and Much went to talk to the king in Nottingham."

John nodded. "We know."

"The king," Marian went on, "he wasn't happy with everything that had happened. He took them captive, accusing Robin of the crimes he's done."

John looked at her gravely, nodding.

"He made him go with him?" Djaq clarified. "Where is he going?"

"What happened to Much?" John asked.

"I do not know about Much. Robin told him to leave, to find you," she explained. "The king is going to France to deal with his brother and Philipp there," she added quietly, sighing.

"Is that why you are here?" John indicated Locksley manor.

She smiled sadly. "In a way." She looked at the house. "I'll be here till Robin comes back." She hadn't voiced it like that to anyone so far, but it was what she felt: Robin would return with a pardon from the king, would come back to his home. She was sure of that. She just didn't know how long it would take, could only pray it wouldn't be another five years. "I'll see what I can find out about Will. And about Much. But I think he took all the prisoners with him."

John nodded his thanks.

"What are you going to do now?"

He shrugged. She knew he had been living in the forest for many years, and things had not exactly changed for him with the return of the king.

"Lady Marian," someone said from behind, and she could see that John and Djaq moved to vanish out of sight. She turned around, seeing that their leaving wouldn't have been necessary, for it was Thornton, Robin's old servant, who knew all too well what was going on. "I am glad to see you here," he said, giving her a nod.

"Thank you." Marian said, glancing to the side where she knew the two outlaws had vanished. 

* * *

Robin looked out into Sherwood Forest. He didn't know this part of it very well, it being north of the parts where the gang had usually traveled. He was standing guard by the small camp of the king, only put up for the short time they would be here, at Clipstone, while Richard was meeting the King of the Scots . A large number of the king's men had already moved on, taking with them the prisoners from Nottingham and the surrounding area after Richard had decided that he would deal with them later in the month after his meeting with the other king.

Spring had fully come to Sherwood Forest by now, and while it was nice to still be in the place for a little while it made Robin wonder even more so how long it would take till he would see it again.

So far the whole venture had been peaceful. There had been no reason for any fighting and as far as Robin had heard, nobody really expected it while they were still in England, John and his followers having fled the country. What would happen once they were in France though, was a different matter. Robin hated the idea of war. He had lived it too long in the Holy Land. The king knew of his skill with the bow and would expect him to show it in battle again, would expect him to kill men that found themselves on the wrong side.

He thought of the gang, wondering if they were still here in Sherwood. They probably were, most of them having no other place to go. Will had maybe, having family away from Nottingham where he could live, but then he wouldn't leave the others behind either. Marian was probably in Locksley by now.

He was pulled out of his thoughts by a sound coming from the forest that wasn't the same low-key background sound that had been there the whole time and that he knew so well from having lived in the forest for years. It was a sound that didn't result from leaves falling or squirrels running around.

Robin pulled an arrow from his quiver, notching it in his bow, his gaze focused on the patch of forest where the sound had come from.

After a few moments, he heard what were definitely sounds of steps on the forest ground. He kept the arrow trained into the direction. He much preferred keeping whoever was coming at a distance with his bow instead of using his sword.

He could see movement in the green then.

"Stop," he called out. He had orders to keep intruders out. The men were well aware of outlaws in the forest. And there were not only those. Who knew if Prince John or somebody else who was interested in harming the king's guards had sent out men.

"Stop," he called again as the steps didn't come to a halt.

"Robin," he heard a voice then and for a moment he thought it was one of the other guards, before he recognized it as well as the man who was approaching him out of the thicket. "It's me."

Robin lowered his bow, his frown being replaced by a smile, though he also wondered what his friend was doing here. "Much."

The man nodded. "I've come."

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm going to come with you, of course."

"Much, no," Robin shook his head. "Did you talk to the others?"

"I haven't seen them," Much replied. "I left the castle, which wasn't easy by the way, and wanted to go to camp. When I was in Clun, there were sheriff's men, too, of the new sheriff, mind you, and I didn't feel like talking to them. But one of the villagers, Fred – we helped him once, if you remember - took me into his house, so I could hide there until they were gone."

"So you didn't go to camp?" Robin interrupted him. He glanced around briefly, wondering if any of the other guards had noticed what was going on. He didn't want Much to get into trouble. They were lucky enough that it was him Much had run into and none of the other men.

"Well, I did go to camp later, but they weren't there, the others. I didn't see any of them. Who knows what they are up to, really."

"You shouldn't have come here, Much."

The other frowned. "I was worried that the king's guards would see me. I mean, one moment I'm running away from them, the next I'm following them. But I couldn't leave you alone."

Robin sighed. "You can't stay here. You need to go back. Find the others."

"What about you?"

"I'll come back, when I can. But now the king needs me."

Much was still frowning. "Locksley needs you more than that. I need you," he added insistently. "And you didn't come here because you wanted to, did you?"

"I made a choice, Much," Robin told him firmly.

"Then I can choose to come with you, too."

Robin shook his head. "Go back to the others. They need your help. Help Marian take care of Locksley."

"Marian?"

He grimaced. It was still an odd thought, though he knew he should be happy about it. "She'll be taking care of Locksley."

"You do not want me here?"

Robin looked at his feet. "There's nothing I would like more than to have you with me, but you are a free man. You live your own life now." Quietly he added, "You shouldn't pay any longer for my mistakes." Much had followed him into war, followed him into the forest. It had to stop now.

"Robin." He came yet closer to him and Robin laid an arm on his shoulder. "You said you would do it again," Much reminded him then.

Robin chuckled, knowing the truth of it. There were mistakes he hoped he would not repeat – like leaving for war the way he had all those years ago. But there were other things he would do again, where his decision would not be different. "I would. And you should go your own way. Outside of Nottinghamshire you would be free." No one would know Much there, would know he was an outlaw in Nottingham. People had heard of Robin Hood, but they wouldn't connect Much's name with any of it. As much as he felt Much also deserved to be known for the good he had done, it would also a blessing for him not to be remembered for it.

Much nodded finally.

"We will meet again," Robin assured him. 

* * *

Allan was tired. Not only tired because of the lack of sleep, but also of walking. They'd been made to march south for days now. Allan missed the days of getting to nap in hidden corners of the castle, of relaxing at the outlaws' camp even, then when they hadn't been busy with any matters of life and death that was.

Now it was just endless days of walking and not knowing where they were even headed. As far as he could tell, not the whole of the king's army had come with them, not even the king himself had, if rumours among the other men could be believed. It would explain why his connection to Robin hadn't helped him out yet, for if the king wasn't here, his favourite Robin sure wasn't either. Not that Robin himself would waste any moment's thought in helping him, Allan figured. But it might draw notice to the fact who he was, and that he too had worked with Robin, for the king, against the sheriff. Decidedly against the sheriff. Allan would remind them of all those times they'd robbed the man. If that wasn't working against the sheriff, he didn't know what was.

He had seen Will from time to time, was seeing him pretty often actually, but had sometimes avoided the man's gaze. Other times he had met it and had wondered what he could tell him. They hadn't parted on the best of terms the last time they had talked, though that was also when Allan had saved Will's neck by looking the other way. Will would have to give him that; he'd never done anything to hurt anyone of them.

Of course, all of that was far away now anyway. Outlaws, sheriff, and all the like. Now they were just all prisoners of the king, and Allan wished he knew what was going to happen. He figured that they'd all be dead by now if that was what the monarch desired, but he didn't have a clue yet what the purpose of their travel was. He didn't think they could have any worth to the king.

"So you're Robin's man now?" someone addressed him from the side all of a sudden and Allan turned to him, winning smile half-set and often-told story ready, when he realised that it was Will.

His smile vanished. "We both are, more or less, aren't we? Saved both our necks one time. We both went off with him into the forest, didn't we?"

Will kept his gaze fixed on him. "You're Gisborne's man."

Allan glanced around nervously. "I'm not. Don't speak so loudly." It certainly couldn't be wise to get to be known as one of the Master-At-Arms' men, the one who had been working for the sheriff.

"What do you think you're gaining by that story of yours?" Will wondered. "Robin isn't here to help us, and telling everyone you're an outlaw..." he paused. "Or better an outlaw than a traitor of the king?"

Allan grimaced, wishing the other would be quiet. "Are you trying to get me killed?" he hissed.

Will looked at him for a few more moments, before he turned away, hastening his pace to catch up with a group of men who were walking slightly ahead of them. Allan shook his head. A little while later he saw Will glancing back at him, but the man turned away again once he met Allan's gaze.

At the end of the day, it was maybe good to have the other around, too. Will was the one who could oppose Allan's story, could tell everyone what his position had really been, but then Allan believed to know that Will would never do that on purpose. It wasn't in his nature. Sure, he had tried to kill the sheriff in rage after his father had been murdered; sure, he was angry at Allan for giving information to Gisborne, as harmless as that had been, and as justified when facing torture. But Allan knew Will and knew that he wouldn't do anything that actively harmed him. Maybe he would even help him, no matter that he wanted to hate Allan right now. 

* * *

Will settled down along with some other men, who tried to make themselves as comfortable as possible. All they could do now was to wait. After not having moved on for several days, still living in a camp near what they had learned to be Winchester in the South of England, things finally seemed to pick up again.

Will wasn't really been worried. After taking them along for so many days, it being near the end of April now, he doubted the king's men wanted them dead, and that was much better than he could ever have hoped for to fare if caught by the sheriff's men. Come to think of it, the last time that had happened, he had nearly ended up on the gallows again.

A few of the men had been picked out, and rumours were going around that those were the ones who had property or whose family owned enough for it to be worthwhile for the king to demand a ransom that would enlarge the war chest for his next campaign. Will was indifferent to the matter, fearing more taxes for the people were ahead in any way.

When the king's guards had asked him who he was, he had told them that he was a carpenter from Locksley. He hadn't said anything about Robin, unlike Allan, who had apparently told them that he was one of Robin Hood's men. Will hadn't tried to contradict that claim. In a way, it was true enough, certainly true enough for Allan's standards, and if it helped him, Will wouldn't try to oppose that. He didn't wish harm on Allan, after all.

Will hadn't talked to his former friend in the past few days. He had seen him often, but Allan had not made an attempt at conversing with him, and Will hadn't felt like initiating it either. Allan was still near him though, had naturally not been chosen as one of those who were supposedly of more value to the king.

Will leaned forward to pick up a piece of wood that was lying in his reach. He turned it around in his hands, figuring it would make a good piece for carving. He didn't have any tools to do so though. Everything that could be used as a tool – or a weapon – had long since been taken from him, including his small axe.

"What are you going to do, when they let us go?" the tall boy who was sitting next to him asked.

Will knew that his name was Daniel and that he had been working in the stables of Nottingham Castle, when the king's army had entered the town and the boy had been caught in a failed, panicked attempt to flee the town. He had not dared to leave the town until it had been too late . He had told Will all of that, along with many other things, over the course of the last few days, talking so much that Will had been reminded of Much a few times. Will had particularly listened up when Daniel had mentioned that Gisborne's horse had still been in the stables about the time when he had tried to leave. Of course, this didn't actually answer the question as to what had become of the man, but it added another thought to the ones Will had already pondered. He for one would be glad if not only the sheriff but Gisborne was gone, too. The people of Locksley didn't need him, they had lived badly under him for a long time.

"I don't know," was his honest answer to Daniel's question. Going back to Nottinghamshire was the most natural idea of course. Will wasn't the only outlaw among the men here, though he doubted that any of them had told as much to the king's guards, as they had to their fellow men. But some of the others had talked about starting a new life somewhere else, somewhere where they were not known as outlawed men.

But then it wasn't easy to go somewhere where you were not known. Will's father and brother had gone to live in Scarborough when Will had been outlawed, but they had already had family there, were not complete outsiders without any connection to the place. Will guessed that it wasn't easy to be one. He didn't think people would hire him as a carpenter, if they didn't know who he was, where he came from and what he was able to. The people in Locksley, on the other hand, knew him, trusted him.

Of course, he could go to Scarborough, too, find Luke, live with their aunt. But then he knew that all these musings were in vain. He wouldn't leave his friends in Sherwood behind.

"I know what I'll do, if they let us go," he corrected himself. "I'll go back to Nottingham. But I don't know what I'll do there."

Daniel nodded. Will figured the boy could just go back to working at the castle. He doubted the new sheriff would be opposed to having the servants continue their work. Daniel had just been in the unlucky position to be caught by the king's men in the first place.

"Tell me," Allan said all of a sudden in agreement of Will not knowing what to do. He had come to a stop next to him without Will's notice. "Don't really know what to do back in Nottingham, do I? There's really no place there for me," he shrugged in an outwardly offhand manner.

"You should have thought about that earlier," Will said with a somewhat hostile edge he couldn't suppress. At least he knew that even if there was no other place for him, there would always be one at the outlaws' camp.

"I can't take it back," Allan said, and Daniel looked at him confused. Will figured that Daniel had seen Allan around the castle, though he didn't know the backstory. He might even know how Allan had actually been employed at the castle.

Will nodded. "Yeah, I know." Shrugging, he turned to Daniel again. "When they will let us go and we go back to Nottingham, I hope you won't mind another addition?"


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Marian remounted her horse, ready to ride back to Locksley after she had checked on the progress of the rebuilding in Knighton. She hadn't much mind for it today. The construction was done after old plans of the hall, effectively rebuilding what had previously been there. It meant that even the emerging form of the house reminded her of what had been here, of what had been her home and the life she had lived here.

She remembered the day when Robin had returned from the Holy Land, when he had stood on their doorstep and she had threatened him with bow and arrow. She had been angry then, and worried for her father, so that she had not even felt the relief she should have at seeing him alive and well. If, when he would return next, her welcome would be different.

She had been downcast since the morning, when she had noticed that Robin's concern had not come true. She was not with child. She knew it was stupid to wish it had been so. She hadn't really thought of the matter before. While it had been clear that children would be expected if she and Robin were to marry as they had first planned all those years ago, it hadn't been the first thing on her mind. When Robin had raised the concern during the night before his departure, she had not minded it. But now she couldn't help feeling disappointment, though she guessed it was mostly the pain of him having left again, and the worry she held.

As she left Knighton behind her, she decided not to return to Locksley after all right now, feeling that it was better to be away from it for a day. She would go on to Nottingham instead to meet the new sheriff there as she had already planned to do later today. She hadn't had much opportunity yet to talk to the man about the matters in the shire.

When she arrived at the castle yard, Sir Hubert was already coming down the steps of the castle, wearing a wide smile as he saw her.

"Lady Marian, what brings you here?"

Marian dismounted, looking at the other. "You know what I need to talk to you about."

"Ah," the man nodded. "But the next Council is still weeks away! Come in, and sit down first, before we talk about all of those things again."

Marian smiled tightly. While this man was trying to distract her, she knew she would at least be able to talk to him without having to worry about finding herself in the dungeons because the sheriff didn't like what she was saying.

Once they were sitting, and Sir Hubert had ordered refreshments to come, Marian tried to start the topics again that she had on her mind.

"I'm here to talk about the new taxes," she said. "The villages can't pay it, neither Locksley nor Knighton, and I'm sure the situation isn't different in Clun, Nettlestone or the smaller villages."

"Ah, yes," Sir Hubert nodded, taking a sip from his drink. "Times are hard."

"The people cannot pay," she insisted.

"They will have to, Lady Marian. You were here and have heard the king. He needs the funds." The sheriff smiled. "Your father would have understood."

"Taxes were not as high during the time when my father was sheriff," she contradicted him. "They have risen under Richard."

"Yes, yes, his Grace needs all the funding he can get for his campaigns. All the men that follow him..."

Marian frowned. "England has already given all she had."

"Lady Marian, let us not quarrel about that. How is your new hall coming along?"

She sighed, feeling the sting of the question. She didn't think he had intended it. She was spending means on rebuilding while claiming the villages couldn't pay their taxes. She doubted Sir Hubert intended to aggravate her with that fact. She had thought about it, but then she had figured that not rebuilding would not make it easier for the villagers to earn enough to pay what the sheriff wanted. At least in Locksley the means of the lands were ready again to help in the greatest need. Marian felt though that things were often just as difficult now as they had been when she had first decided to go out as the Nightwatchman.

"The construction is going well, but we could need more workers; in Locksley too."

The other nodded. "Yes, but where do you intend to get them?"

What Marian had said wasn't entirely true. They didn't really need more labourers, but she had had an idea in connection with this, and as long as the sheriff didn't see through it, she would go for it.

"As you know, during the time of Sheriff Vaizey there were many men driven into the forest by his... interpretation of the law," she started. "I think there might be a way to bring them back, recover what was done wrong in the time of a traitor who did not have the best of the kingdom in mind."

"You want me to give a reprieve to outlaws?" Sir Hubert clarified, the smile still on his face.

Marian nodded. "There are many young, strong men who could be of much more use to the villages than living in the forest."

"You know this would actually be a matter of the king."

"These are men no one outside of this shire has ever heard of. They belong to the shire here. If you show mercy... and consider the use of it... More people working and living in the villages means more can be done. And the villages would be able to pay more. You can even write a letter to the king. I am sure you would be able to find his agreement."

Sir Hubert nodded thoughtfully. "You may be right, Lady Marian. I'm sure your father would have agreed."

Marian nodded once, knowing she wouldn't be able to talk about the taxes again today. 

* * *

The downpour from above seemed endless. At least it was comparatively warm, it being early June. Still, the new rain didn't help with the mud on the ground, and Robin was fairly certain that by now the mud wasn't only on the ground, but everywhere on him. If he had been in doubt about that, he could have taken a look at Carter, who had joined his side a while ago and who was covered from head to toe, too.

It had been a few weeks now that they had left England behind after the short stop they had made in Winchester in the south of the country where the king had finally let go most of the men taken in Nottinghamshire and the areas around it. Now, it was only his army that was trudging through Normandy.

Robin had been there when the king had spoken to his next in command the night before. They expected to meet John's men soon, maybe even some of Phillip's, though they were not sure about that. What they seemed to be sure about, and willing to do, when Robin thought back to the anger he had seen in the king, was fight. The men had been readied for it, and it now only was a matter of time until it would come.

Robin was apprehensive of it. Before they had decamped in the morning, he had checked his bow again, had checked that the string was as it should be, that he had enough arrows left. His sword was by his side, but when he thought of the upcoming battle, he hated the idea of using them. Yes, he had killed during his time in Sherwood. He had done so, when it had been necessary – he almost would have said when he had no other choice, but that would disregard what Marian had once told him, and what he had further told others, that everything was a choice. He had killed then, and not the least when he had believed Marian to have died after Gisborne had stabbed the Nightwatchman. He had not thought coherently then, had been in a suicidal rage that had not stopped before the sheriff's men. He did not want to go back to that. He didn't know how he would be able to return to England this way, to his home, if he once again waded through the blood of other men.

"What are you thinking of?" Carter asked him then, as they marched on, trying to avoid the deepest water-filled holes in the ground.

"Many things," Robin said simply. He still wasn't sure what had made Carter go with the king again, apart from loyalty, but that was maybe enough. Robin wondered if he had come, if the king had simply asked him to do so. The way it had been, the choice he had been given, it had not simply been a request. But if it had been, he was not sure that he would have come. There might have been a time, when he would have done anything for his king, but then he had also thought that doing anything meant that it would bring the man safely home. Now it was only taking them further away from England. And Robin guessed that it was more that he wanted to do anything for his home, had thought before that this meant placing the king first, thinking the man would make home right again.

Months ago he had wondered if he were ready to pay the ultimate price if the king had decided that Robin needed to die for his crimes. It was another thing he was not sure of. Loyalty to the man would have demanded that he stayed, no matter what, but loyalty to his people, to his friends, to Marian, would had demanded otherwise; that he fled and saved his life. Marian had once said that he could help no one when he was dead, but back then he had also thought that he could not see anyone hurt because of him.

Now he was marching towards battle again. He would be fighting, hurting and killing, but not so much for the loyalty to his king but for the chance to one day return to England. 

* * *

Allan kept a few paces behind Will as they wandered through the forest. They had been friendly enough along the way back to Nottinghamshire, ever since they had been let go by the king's men who noted that they didn't expect to gain any ransom or any other use off them.

Allan and Will had said goodbye to the other men who had accompanied them back to the shire, some of them walking on to Nottingham town, while Will and Allan headed for Sherwood.

Allan was grateful for Will's company, but was apprehensive of the reaction of the others. Robin would be livid that he dared to come to the camp, John would disapprove and Much would voice his indignation. Of course, he still hoped to charm himself back into their good graces. He guessed though this wouldn't work on Robin at all.

But then – was Robin even at the camp anymore? The king had returned after all, had come to Nottingham, had thrown out the sheriff. Surely Robin had gotten everything he wanted, would be back at Locksley. Much was maybe back with him at Locksley, too. Allan nodded to himself, more and more convinced of the truth of this. It would be easier to talk to Djaq and John.

"Allan," Will called from a few paces ahead. "Are you coming?"

Allan saw that a slight smile accompanied Will's question. Maybe the other didn't mind Allan's presence all that much.

"I'm here."

It wasn't far to the outlaw's camp anymore. Allan hoped they would find the others there. He was reminded of the day when he and Will had almost run off with Gisborne's treasure, leaving the outlaws behind. But they had returned to their friends just in time to help fight off the sheriff's men.

"I don't want to startle them," Will said. "We've been away for a long time." They had been gone for many weeks.

"We haven't run into any new traps yet," Allan replied somewhat nervously.

"Hello," Will called out. "It's me, Will."

Allan figured that he should keep his mouth shut for now.

All of a sudden the big man stood before them. John smiled broadly as he greeted Will, and the smile didn't vanish when his glance fell on Allan, though he quickly turned back to Will, apparently choosing to tolerate Allan's presence for now.

"You're back," John nodded happily. "Djaq will be glad."

Allan couldn't hear Will's reply, but followed the other two into the camp, where Djaq jumped up when she saw them.

"Will! Allan!"

She was hugging Will in an instant, and Allan wondered if he had ever seen cool, detached Djaq that upbeat. Then she let go of Will and turned to Allan, giving him a hug as well. "So good to see you."

"Have you heard from Robin and Much?" Will asked, and Allan wondered what it was that they should have heard from them. They had occasionally mentioned Robin and Much during the time it took them to get back to Sherwood, but Will had not really told him what they had been doing, when the king had returned, and Allan had figured that he did not really know it either.

"Much was here for a few days," Djaq told them, "but he left to find Eve."

"Eve?" Allan wondered. He remembered what that girl was about, but why would Much leave to go to her?

"What about Robin?" Will went on.

Djaq glanced at John, who shrugged.

"Robin left with the king months ago," he said. "They're going to France, Marian told us. And Much followed Robin for a week before coming back and he said the same thing."

"He left?" Allan laughed. That was so Robin. The man couldn't be quick enough to hang out with the king again.

"It wasn't because he wanted to, Allan," John spoke up, sounding more serious than Allan would have expected.

"Well, I didn't want to go anywhere either. And I'm sure Will shares that sentiment. But look, we're back," Allan shrugged.

Will gave Allan a look.

"What now?" he wanted to know.

"Marian," Djaq said. "She is doing something."

Allan grimaced, hoping this would amount to something else than running around with a mask on her face.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Robin was keeping his guard despite the tiredness that he felt. He didn't even know if he would manage to sleep the next night. The cloud of the potential battle, war, was hanging over him. They would fight, shed blood, kill a hundred men, for no other reason than that they stood on the other side. He could be killed himself, he knew. He had survived many battles in the Holy Lands, many as an outlaw fighting in Nottingham, but he also knew that war's logical result was death.

He kept his posture upright as the morning moved on to a warm summer day. It was well past noon, when Robin saw the king returning from a meeting that had been kept secret from most of the men, dismounting his horse and making his way to the tent that Robin was standing guard by. Richard seemed to be in a sombre, yet positive mood, and Robin could only guess what this had to mean. Maybe the man had decided on battle and the fervour of the upcoming fighting was already burning inside of him. Robin did not dare to judge it for sure, not knowing who the man had met and what the result of it was.

Richard came to a stop in front of him, nodding to Robin. "I wish that you join me inside, Robin."

Robin nodded and followed the king into the tent. The man turned, his expression more earnest than it had been outside.

"I know that your heart is not in this, Robin," the man started.

Robin was taken aback, not having expected the reprimand now. "I swore my loyalty to you."

"You did, years ago, but you renewed it, following me here, only under duress."

Robin did not dare to nod or affirm this in any other way, though it was true and he knew the king to know it was true. It was the reason, and when Richard had ordered him to come with him to Normandy, he had not even pretended that he believed Robin to come fully on his own accord. It would have been a lie, and they both would have known it. In the months since though, the king might have expected him to form a new bond to him, give his loyalty fully and freely now. Though he could feel the guilt of betrayal, or abandoning his king lingering in his mind, Robin knew that he could not give this anymore.

"I met my brother today," the king went on, and Robin nodded once. "We talked. About many things." The man smiled. "I pardoned him, Robin. He is my brother, and I know that it were evil advisers who led him astray."

Robin nodded again, not commenting on the fact that the king was pardoning a man who had tried to kill him, but not others who had been fighting for him.

"I want to do right by him," Richard went on, "and I want to do right by you." He paused, studying the other. "I pardon you, Robin of Locksley, and I give you leave to return to England, if you so wish." He smiled again. "And I know you do."

Robin couldn't quite believe the words at first, then the disbelief made room for elation. He nodded. "I want to go back."

To this, Richard nodded, the smile still with him even though the tone of his voice changed. "I figured that you would."

Robin could almost swear he could hear a hint of disappointment in the king's voice. That had never been his intention, but Robin knew that things had changed since when he first had gone off to war, and now.

"My loyalty is with you," Robin reminded him, "If you wish me to stay, then I will."

He did not want to stay. But neither could he simply turn his back on the king. The man had pardoned him, was giving him leave to return home to England, back to Locksley, where Marian was no doubt waiting for him. Robin had waited for so long for this to happen. Still, it felt as though the pardon was given mostly because of a mood, because the meeting with his brother had released Richard of his anger, rather than it being something he had actually planned for, did truly want.

"Your loyalty is not in question," Richard answered. "I may disagree with some of the ways you showed it, but there is no reason for me to question it."

Robin nodded, but stayed where he was. So what was it that happened now? Did he simply turn and leave? What was the king to do from here? Where would Richard go now that he seemed to have made peace with his brother? There were so many questions still.

"I assume you will depart in the morning?"

Robin nodded, guessing that he would. It would be a long way back, but he looked forward to the time when he would arrive at Locksley.

"You will be gone as well by then?" he wondered.

"Yes," Richard agreed, nodding, "I suppose I will. Let us mark this occasion, what do you think?"

Robin raised an eyebrow, confused, but said nothing. Across from him, the king let out a laugh.

"Our differences have kept us at a distance, I do think. Join me for supper, and let us talk like we once did. Let our parting be on good terms."

Robin could only agree with that. He knew that the differences, what Richard had called it, were not gone by this. Despite how the king thought, Robin still felt he had been right to go against the king's law as exercised by the sheriff, to fight the injustice he had seen there. Richard would never agree with him in this part, so it would seem. It was mostly luck that was on his side. His reputation in the war and the previous friendship he had once held with the king, were all that kept him from continuing his life as an outlaw, or worse. Had it been anyone else, surely that would be their fate. Robin did not want to dwell on it for too long. Instead he found himself smiling, and then he nodded. "I would like that very much." 

* * *

It had been a question as to where he was to go. To Nottingham would have been one possibility, to see the new sheriff with whom he would have to arrange himself. To Sherwood had been another idea, but Robin doubted, hoped, that his men had found new homes by now. To Locksley it was then where he decided to ride, as he came into Nottinghamshire, the afternoon sun on his back. He didn't know if she would be there. He didn't believe that Knighton had already been rebuilt as she had planned, not so many months having passed since his departure, although it felt like it had been too long ago.

He made it to Locksley well before sundown. There was still activity going on in the village, the peasants busy till the day would end. Some curious glances were cast his way, but Robin did not stop, only nodded towards whoever greeted him.

He rode up to the manor that lay quieter than the rest of the village. Robin dismounted his horse and looked around, feeling somewhat sheepish. He had now finally come home, to stay this time, but so much had happened since he had last lived here.

As he was glancing around, he saw another horse coming up to the house, slowing down as it came nearer. It wasn't hard to recognize her. There was surprise on her face at first, changing soon into a wide smile, as she slid off the horse.

"Robin."

He walked over to her, taking the reins of her horse and binding it to a post together with his. He smiled too, hoping this and talking would hide the awkwardness he was feeling.

"You are back," Marian said , as he turned to her again.

"I missed you."

She pulled him towards her for a kiss, then leaving her hands around his neck, as she looked at him again.

"Are you going to stay?"

It was a question that carried an unsaid message. Robin could see that she wondered how glad she could be about his return, maybe worried that he might leave again. It was no surprise. Ever since he first left to go to the Holy Lands, they had never shared a time where they knew either of them could stay for long.

He nodded. "The king pardoned me, and gave me leave to return to England."

She nodded in return. "What about Locksley?"

"He restored it to my name." He grinned. "But I won't turn you out of doors."

She shook her head with a laugh. "I'm not going to leave, but you have to marry me."

"I have to?" he returned with a smirk, sobering then. "I want to."

She smiled. "Your men are safe."

"They are?" Robin sighed in relief. "I have not heard about any of them for so long. Where is Much?"

"Much is here, and the others are here or close to Locksley, too," she explained.

Robin nodded. "I'm going to see them tomorrow." He glanced at her and almost waited for her returning comment, but it did not come.

"I'm glad you are back," she said instead.

"It's good to be." 

* * *

The forest never was really quiet. There were always the sounds of the wind in the leaves and of the small and large animals that lived in it. Robin enjoyed the peacefulness of the woods. The thought was odd, seeing that the forest had not been an especially peaceful place these last few years. It was the same forest he had first saved Allan when he'd been caught poaching. The forest where they had raided so many travellers, fought so many guards, had hidden for so long.

Robin had almost reached their former camp, having taken a long tour around it. He was still careful to not walk into a forgotten trap that the gang had laid. He grinned at the memory of Marian running into one. He could remember her words that he would pay for it, and he had already done so rather painfully back then.

He knew he wouldn't be alone at the camp today. The warm summer nights were making sure that the camp was kept in use for now. Will and Djaq went there now and then, seeking time alone, Robin assumed, were also finding a familiar place in the camp Will had built.

He found them there, Will whittling something, while Djaq was sitting with her legs crossed, browsing the pages of a ledger Robin knew of very well, though he had never told her as much.

"You don't mind me coming here, do you?" he asked with a smile as they looked up.

Will shrugged, returning his smile. "The camp belongs to all of us."

"How's Marian?" Djaq asked.

"Fine," Robin nodded to her, before he looked around the camp.

"If you are ever in need of any alone time..." Djaq suggested with a smile of her own.

Robin shook his head, chuckling. "Marian knows where the camp is."

She and the gang were still the only ones who did.

**The End**


End file.
